


Swan Lake (Tokyo Ghoul! AU)

by arcticliars



Category: Haikyuu!!, Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: ALL ABOARD THE ANGST TRAIN, Angst, Angst and Feels, Ballet, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Inspired by Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul AU, Tokyo Ghoul! AU, Tragedy, arcticliars, into the reader-verse, or should I say arcticliars-verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcticliars/pseuds/arcticliars
Summary: "Doesn't Swan Lake have happier endings?""It does. But not in this one."
Relationships: Sugawara Koushi/Reader
Comments: 12
Kudos: 33





	1. overture

_Everyone knows the story._

_A young princess, by some cruel twist of fate, is cursed by an evil sorcerer to live out the rest of her days as a beautiful white swan. Only by night can she and the rest of the sorcerer’s victims become maidens again, but as the dawn breaks, they return to their avian forms, flying over the lake made by the Swan Queen’s mother’s tears._

_However, if someone who has never loved before swears to be true to her, the sorcerer’s curse will break, and the princess becomes a swan no more. She falls in love with a Prince, who swears to fulfill those conditions, and he almost makes good on his promise._

_Almost._

_The Prince is entranced by the Black Swan, the Swan Queen’s lustful, energetic twin, who happens to be the sorcerer’s daughter. The heartbroken Queen watches as the Prince—albeit mistakenly—swears his love to the imposter, and their love is forever doomed._

_The story ends differently every single time. There are some who give the lovers retribution; the Swan Queen forgives the Prince, and together they rise up and defeat the sorcerer with their love. The others—the original included—end it with the lovers choosing to die together, fulfilling their promise in the afterlife. The darker ending has the Swan Queen plunging herself off the cliff, knowing she can never be human again._

_You can imagine how this version ends._

* * *

“Tanaka-san, I’m sorry!” Hinata bowed repeatedly. “I’m really sorry!”

Tanaka turned to him, stuffing his stained pants in the plastic bag. “Like I said, it’s alright,” he said, slightly exasperated. “Don’t worry about me. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, I got to rest a little on the way here. I feel better now than when I was on the bus.”

Sugawara looked over his shoulder, looking at Hinata with worry. Witnessing someone throw up on the bus was a first for everyone, and Sugawara especially pitied Tanaka for being the makeshift bucket.

“All right, then,” Tanakas said cheerfully. “We’re counting on you for today’s match.”

Hinata flinched, as did Sugawara and Daichi.

Tanaka patted Hinata’s shoulder in a misplaced attempt at encouragement, completely oblivious to the fact that the orange-haired middle blocker had gone pale at his words. “Just do it like the three-on-three! Let me spike freely like that.”

“Tanaka!” Sugawara hissed. “Don’t pressure him!”

“Huh? What’s that?”

“I’ll…I’ll…I’ll do my b—” Hinata’s words were cut off by a loud grumbling noise, and he doubled over. “I’m going to the bathroom!”

“First the top, then the bottom!” Tanaka guffawed. “You’re a busy guy!”

Kageyama, who had been fixing his bag, looked up to see Hinata waddling away at high speed. He scowled and straightened up, pushing his bag behind him. “There he goes again. How pathetic,” he growled, rolling up his sleeves. “I’m going to knock some courage into him!”

Sugawara yelped and grabbed Kageyama as he began to march off in Hinata’s direction. “Oi, what are you thinking?” he scolded, struggling as Kageyama pushed forward. “That kind of thing won’t work on Hinata!”

“But we won’t know ‘til we try it!”

“Tanaka! Keep this simpleton away from him!”

“Right!”

Behind Sugawara, Daichi sighed, watching as Hinata disappeared further and further into Aoba Johsai’s grounds. After Tanaka had managed to talk some sense into Kageyama, he stepped off the bus and began walking with Sugawara.

“Will we be okay?” Daichi wondered. “Hinata looks like he’s inches away from a heart attack, Kageyama’s walking into the school his former teammates went to…will we really be okay?”

Sugawara laughed. “I think it’s all going to turn out fine in the end. We don’t get many opportunities like this, after all.”

Daichi looked at him and smiled, comforted by the fact that at least one of them seemed to be keeping a level head. _That’s Sugawara Koushi for you,_ he thought.

Sugawara whistled as he walked, taking in the unfamiliar scene in front of him. _Ah, speaking of unfamiliar…_ he thought. _This is the first time I’m not in the starting six for a practice match. Of course, in exchange for that, we’ve got Kageyama-kun, who’s practically a genius…_

It wasn’t like he wanted to play. _Of course_ he wanted to play, he’d been a setter for Karasuno since his first year. But if it meant giving the team more chances at winning, he was willing to step aside.

_This always happens. Once you get settled in, once you trust in the position you’re in, there’s always someone waiting, lurking in the shadows, to sweep it up from under you when you least expect it. There are two ways you can combat this—either you keep yourself on edge and continually attempt to defend your place, or you let yourself fall, giving in to the inevitability of the situation._

Those same thoughts crossed his mind when he saw that match between Kitagawa Daiichi and Yukigaoka. That genius, though quite egocentric setter, who dominated whatever court he was on…that was something Sugawara could only hope to achieve.

When he walked in on Kageyama serving volleyballs in the Karasuno gymnasium like there was no tomorrow, he admittedly felt his heart sink. That was the first time he’d felt it—as if the setter position that he’d grown so fond of over the years had been pulled out from under him like a rug. But he let himself fall, anyway. He hit the ground with as much grace as he could muster, knowing it was pointless to resist.

He could lie to Daichi, Kageyama, and even himself as much as he wanted, saying he was never going to give up that position so easily. And while that was partially true, deep inside, he knew better—that there would always be someone better. Someone shinier. Someone who wasn’t you.

“What the—” Daichi snapped him out of his wandering thoughts. “Where’d they go?!”

He dashed off, frantically looking around for their troublesome first years. “What’s with him?” Ennoshita asked, approaching Sugawara.

“His problem children have gone missing,” Sugawara answered in amusement. “We’d better wait for them here.”

* * *

The Aoba Johsai Volleyball Club had to be one of the best in the Miyagi prefecture, and it was evident from the way the members carried themselves as they went about their warm-ups. They had a sense of quiet pride about them, even as they laughed and joked around, as if wearing the uniform had cast some sort of confidence spell over them.

_I could definitely use some of that_ , Sugawara grumbled internally.

“Thank you for having us!” Daichi called, bowing.

Seijoh’s players turned to the entrance, to see the Karasuno team bowing before them. They bowed and shouted a greeting in return.

“Aoba Johsai is known for each of its members being highly skilled, equally in offense and defense,” Daichi commented. “These guys could go to any school and become the ace.”

Sugawara nodded in agreement. “Their powerful blocks are famous.”

They went about their business, changing into uniforms after Takeda-sensei spoke to the coaches. When Hinata returned from yet another bathroom trip, he seemed more jittery than usual, and according to Tanaka, it was because of his run-in with Kageyama’s old teammates.

Daichi was desperately trying to get him to relax, even going as far as asking Kiyoko to step in. But all that did was blow Hinata’s fuse after the manager had whispered something to him.

They had no time to spare, as the whistle had already blown, signaling the players to line up by the court. Yet another unfamiliar feeling washed over him as he walked past Karasuno’s starting six to stand with Takeda-sensei, Yamaguchi, Kinnoshita and Narita. It wasn’t a sight that was new to him, but knowing he was to sit there indefinitely…

“We will now begin the practice match of Karasuno High School versus Aoba Johsai High School,” the referee announced.

“Let’s play!”

The game started with Seijoh’s serve, which could have been easily received had a panic-stricken Hinata not interfered. Ennoshita managed to recover it and send the ball to Tanaka, but he was completely shut down.

_I’ve always been able to see better from this side,_ Sugawara thought, as Hinata continued to stumble over everything and everyone on the court. _It’s easy to see who the ball should have gone to, where the opponent’s going to spike, if the setter’s going to do a dump…but it’s a whole different world you’re seeing on the court._

So far, a ditzy Hinata had backed up into Tanaka, ran over Tsukishima, and knocked the first referee off his stand, all while Seijoh collected one point after another. A failed serve on Hinata’s part sailed into Kageyama’s head, effectively ending the set with Seijoh as the winner.

Fortunately, Kageyama was able to restrain himself from sending Hinata into the next life, and a hearty speech from Tanaka restored Hinata’s morale. The second set soon began, with more of Kageyama and Hinata’s freak quicks, Daichi’s solid receives, and Tanaka’s powerful spikes. Although Hinata didn’t seem to like being a decoy, it was to their advantage.

Slowly but surely, Karasuno began to rack up points, until Seijoh was forced to take a time-out.

“Nice, Tanaka, nice!” Sugawara clapped, helping Kiyoko hand out the towels and water bottles. “Keep those spikes nice and sharp!”

“Thanks!”

Sugawara looked at his teammates with pride, until his gaze fell on Daichi. His eyes were soft as he watched Tsukishima jamming Hinata’s water bottle into his face while making crude comments about his height, as Yamaguchi stood behind them and snickered.

Daichi was unmistakably fond of the team, having been a member since his first year along with Sugawara and Asahi, before the latter left. Sugawara had become his closest companion and confidante over the years, and there wasn’t anything about Daichi that Sugawara didn’t already know.

Like the fact that Daichi had grown up without a father, after losing him to a ghoul attack at the tender age of six.

It was easy to forget about the reality outside the volleyball club. Ghouls had been around since time immemorial, though it was hard to keep track as they wouldn’t be immediately identified as such, given how similar they were to normal human beings.

Of course, they weren’t normal by a long shot. Not while their diet relied on human flesh. Not while their strength surpasses the average Joe by four to seven times. Not while one of their organs, a _kakuhou_ , could produce a massive clump of Rc cells and become their _kagunes_ , which experts described as claws of sorts.

Daichi’s father was part of the Commission of Counter Ghoul, or the CCG, as an investigator. According to Daichi, the operation had gone awry, and the elder Sawamura along with his team were quickly overwhelmed and killed.

Daichi had since hated the ghoul species, even going as far as to enter the Ghoul Investigator Training Academy after graduation.

Sugawara couldn’t find it in him to discourage Daichi.

_Daichi is usually very gentle_ , he thought, as the time-out ended, and the game resumed. _Even when he’s telling the team off, he’s never really angry. Even when he’s cornered in a game, he doesn’t lose his cool. But when reading about or watching ghoul cases on television…_

He shuddered. _Now that’s scary._

He would never say it to Daichi, but to Sugawara, ghouls were quite fascinating. The whole human-eater thing got to him, sure, and he would forever resent the ghoul who had killed Daichi’s father, but other than that…Sugawara didn’t have any reason to hate them. Of course, that didn’t erase the fact that there were hundreds of ghoul-related incidents and deaths every year. Just because one hadn’t happened to him didn’t mean the threat wasn’t real.

Perhaps that was why he had taken up Daichi’s offer to join the Academy after graduation. But deep inside, he knew that he was going just because he had nowhere else to go.

Another freak quick ended the second set, and this time, it was Karasuno’s victory.

“On to winning the final set!” Tanaka shouted, slapping Hinata’s shoulder.

Sugawara walked over to where Daichi and Ennoshita were talking. “I’m glad they don’t have another serve-hitter like Kageyama,” Ennoshita had been saying.

“Yeah,” Daichi agreed. “Because I must admit our team is not good at receiving.”

“We mustn’t let our guard down,” Kageyama said, sounding a little…off. “I’m thinking that maybe their setter wasn’t the main setter—”

He was cut off by a bunch of squealing girls, which caused the team to turn to see what was happening.

“Oh, Oikawa,” Seijoh’s coach said. “You’re back.”

* * *

Kageyama made a strange sound, like he was choking out a gasp.

_Who?_ Sugawara peeked over Daichi’s shoulder to see a tall young man with wavy brown hair, standing with the team. He couldn’t see a face, however; he could only see the back of his Aoba Johsai VBC jacket. The team seemed to brighten at the sight of him.

“How’s the ankle?”

The player—at least, Sugawara assumed he was—threw up an OK gesture. “It’s fine,” he assured the coach, sounding bright and cheerful. “I can get back to regular practice. It was just a slight sprain.”

The coach huffed and turned his back. “For crying out loud! Be careful,” he scolded. “You’re the one that asked to play against Kageyama. What do we do without our official setter? It’s embarrassing.”

Oikawa scratched his head. “Sorry.”

“Oikawa-san, take care of yourself!” one of the girls in the audience squealed. In response, he waved, causing them to squeal even louder.

Tanaka turned to Kageyama, his eyes literally bulging out of their sockets. “Kageyama-kun,” he said, his smile not matching at all with his menacing tone. “Who’s the laid-back guy? I find him unpleasant.”

“He’s the captain of Seijoh,” Daichi explained.

Kageyama sniffed. “Oikawa-san is a super-aggressive server. His attack power is also at the top of his team.” His scowl deepened. “And he’s got a terrible personality.”

“Coming from you, that’s scary!” Hinata exclaimed.

“Maybe even worse than Tsukishima.”

“He must be really bad.”

While Tsukishima threw them a dirty look, Tanaka turned to Oikawa once more. “Do you know him from Kitagawa Daiichi?” he asked.

“Yes. He was my senpai in junior high.”

Finally, Oikawa turned in Karasuno’s direction, giving Sugawara a glimpse of his face. He was indeed very good-looking, enough to garner attention from female students. But there was something about him that felt so unreal, which confused Sugawara as Oikawa seemed like any other high schooler. He seemed so effortlessly confident, like there was nothing he couldn’t do, but there was no mistaking the hard work that had been pounded into his lean but muscular figure. He was—dare Sugawara say it—almost too beautiful.

Oikawa smiled and waved at the group. “Yoo-hoo, Tobio-chan!” he greeted brightly. “It’s been a while! So nice to see you. You still doing the King thing?”

Kageyama ignored him. “I learned serving and blocking by watching him play,” he said. “His skills are extremely high.”

Hinata flinched, for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day.

“But,” Kageyama continued. “We have to focus on that match. We’ll win the last set for sure.”

“Y-yeah!”

He turned to Tanaka, who was staring at Oikawa with his best killer expression. “Tanaka-san, stop with the intimidation!”

Sugawara kept his eyes on Oikawa as he walked off to warm up, wondering why Seijoh’s captain seemed so alluring. _Wait, alluring?_ he thought. _Did I think…wait, no. Maybe not alluring. Just…maybe fascinating?_

He shook his head, keeping his focus on the match. _Maybe this’ll end a lot quicker and they won’t bring him in._

That seemed to be the case for a good majority of the set, with Tanaka’s spikes only increasing in power along with his frustration, and Kageyama’s precise sets never missing their marks. Soon enough, Karasuno was at match point, although Seijoh was only a couple of points behind.

_Only one more point…_

Seijoh scored off Tsukishima’s poor receive, bringing the match closer and closer to a deuce.

“Oh my, we’re in a crisis,” Oikawa’s voice sounded, and Sugawara’s head whipped around. The captain was standing behind the coach, donning his practice clothes and a bib marked with the number 13.

_Damn, he warmed up already?_ Sugawara cursed. _This is bad._

His fears were confirmed when a whistle blew, and the referee signaled for a substitute. Oikawa whispered something to the player he was switching with, before heading onto the court to the delighted screams of the audience.

“Stop that,” Daichi scolded a jeering Tanaka, but even he sounded worried.

Oikawa inhaled deeply, his smile never leaving his face. “No matter how strong your offense is,” he said. “It means nothing if you can’t connect to it.”

While palming the ball, he pointed in Tsukishima’s direction, his smile slowly turning into a devious smirk.

_What?_

Oikawa tossed the ball into the air, higher than what Sugawara usually deemed comfortable, and launched into the approaching run for a serve. He jumped and swung his arm, his hand connecting with the ball with a satisfying smack—although, to Sugawara, it sounded like a gun firing.

The ball practically shot over the net to a specific corner of Karasuno’s court. Sugawara’s eyebrows shot up. _He aimed it at Tsukishima_ , he realized.

The ball bounced off Tsukishima’s arms, ricocheting off the second floor’s railing from the sheer power it took to serve it. Yamaguchi jumped in fear. “Tsukki!”

Oikawa hummed and placed a hand on his hip. “Just as I thought,” he mused, almost to himself. “I watched part of the match and…you, number 6, and you, number 5.”

Tsukishima and Hinata seemed equally surprised to be acknowledged.

“You’re not good receivers, are you? You must be first-years.”

_Like Kageyama…_ Sugawara thought. _No, even more powerful than him. His ball control allows him to hit it anywhere he wants. So this is Seijoh’s captain…_

Oikawa returned to his spot to serve, looking downright smug at this point. “Okay, let’s score another one.”

He performed that insane serve again, and once more, it deflected right off an irritated Tsukishima. Yamaguchi grabbed Sugawara’s shoulder, screeching Tsukishima’s name.

“All right,” Daichi instructed. “All of you scoot to the back. Tsukishima, you go closer to the sideline.”

“Yes.”

Daichi got back in place, his steely determination unwavering. Sugawara had to admire his natural leadership skills, as well as his game sense. Unfortunately, Oikawa seemed to have figured him out, too.

“So, Captain-kun, who’s an expert at receiving, is expanding the defense,” he said, gearing up to serve. “However, you can’t defend it all by yourself!”

That gunshot sounded again, and the ball was shooting over the net. “He’s aimed it directly at the edge!” Takeda-sensei observed, while a terrified Yamaguchi tried his best to cheer Tsukishima on.

“But he sacrificed some of his power to get that accuracy!” Sugawara exclaimed.

Sure enough, the ball had slowed down enough for Tsukishima to finally receive it cleanly.

“It went up!”

“Tsukki, nice!”

_Wait!_ Sugawara’s eyes widened.

The ball was sailing back over the net. “Look,” Oikawa announced, as he received it. “A sweet, sweet, chance ball. Score a good one, guys!”

_This is bad_ , Sugawara thought. _Our rotation has no height for blocking._

The spiker went for a broad, which was thankfully thwarted by Hinata’s one-touch. Kageyama quickly got into position to set, while Hinata scuttled over to the other side of the net. As soon as Hinata jumped, and his hand was at his highest point, Kageyama had tossed to him, scoring another quick—which landed just inches away from Oikawa. The whistle blew, signaling Karasuno’s complete victory.

The spectators began murmuring amongst themselves, while Sugawara glanced at Seijoh’s team. They all seemed disheartened, even furious at that last point, save for one: Oikawa himself, who was looking at Kageyama and Hinata like they were brand new toys.

That look of wonder lingered on Sugawara’s mind even as they wrapped things up and assisted with cleaning. For some reason, it filled him with unease.

* * *

“Takeda-sensei complimented us,” Daichi said, as the team walked back to their bus. “But frankly, if we were facing Seijoh and Oikawa in an all-out match, we’d be lacking.”

“Oh, spoken like a true captain.”

Oikawa was leaning on the school gate, out of his practice clothes and back into his jacket-and-jogger pants outfit. He fixed Karasuno with a smug smile, much to the chagrin of Tanaka, Tsukishima, Hinata, and Yamaguchi.

Tanaka stepped forward, with Hinata clinging to his back. “You got a problem, dude?” Tanaka growled.

“What do you want?” Hinata echoed, his voice quivering.

“Wanna fight, huh?”

“Wanna fight, huh?”

Oikawa chuckled and pushed himself off the gate. “Don’t be so hostile,” he said light-heartedly. “You, little one. Your last one-touch and broad attack were amazing.”

Hinata faltered, and blushed, clearly surprised to have been complimented by Seijoh’s captain, of all people.

Oikawa nodded, his more devious smile taking over his face. “Let’s give it all we got the next time, right from the start. You didn’t get to see our set up.”

He glanced at Tsukishima. “Oh, yes, and we’ll be improving our serves, too,” he added.

“It’s true, your offense was amazing, but your receives are slow. You’ll reach your limit very quickly.” Oikawa took a couple of sets forward. “You know, I’m not the only one who hits powerful serves.”

His tone took on a more challenging lilt as he continued. “The Inter-High preliminaries are coming up soon. Don’t get eliminated, okay? That’s because…”

Oikawa raised his hand, pointing to Kageyama. “I want to pulverize my dear underclassman, setter-on-setter, in an official match.”

Hinata rushed over to Tsukishima, who was trying to pull his arm away in protest. “T-the receivers will train!” he stuttered.

Oikawa frowned. “Receivers don’t improve overnight. Ask the captain. He should know.”

_Damn, what is this pressure?_ Sugawara clenched his fists. _If it were anyone else, it would just sound like misplaced confidence, a poor attempt to rile us up. And yet…_

He exchanged glances with Daichi, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. _He’s absolutely right…_

“Oh, Tooru.”

They all turned, Oikawa included, to the gate, where a young woman in the Seijoh uniform stood.

Sugawara’s eyes widened.

The student had her hair swept back in an immaculately perfect bun, exposing the gentle slope of her neck. She had a large gym bag slung over her front, which made him guess that she was an athlete as well, or perhaps just someone who worked out regularly. She stood up straight and almost stiffly, as if someone had stuck a wooden stick to her back, and there was a certain poise about her that made her look like some nymph or goddess, silhouetted by the setting sun. She reminded him of Kiyoko, but with a refined grace that made him want to prostrate himself in front of her.

“Y/N-chan, what are you doing here?” Oikawa asked in surprise. “Aren’t you late for practice?”

“I forgot my notebook was with Mattsun,” she replied. Her gaze fell on the Karasuno team, who, like Sugawara, seemed to be stunned silent at her presence. Tanaka, in particular, seemed to have stopped breathing.

“Y/N-chan, this is Karasuno High School’s volleyball club,” Oikawa said, in response to her questioning look. “We had a practice match with them today.”

Y/N smiled and bowed. “Nice to meet you, everyone.”

The Karasuno team bowed and murmured their greetings.

“I’ll walk you back to the gym,” Oikawa offered. “Well then, everyone…there’s not much time left ‘til the tournament. I look forward to seeing you there. Let’s go, Y/N-chan.”

There was no mistaking the provocation in his tone and choice of words. They watched as Seijoh’s captain and that unfamiliar girl walk away, chatting quietly. Sugawara noted that she walked oddly—her feet occasionally turned out, as if they’d just hit an invisible wall, or as if she was a soccer player kicking the ball.

_Soccer player, huh…_ he wondered. _Though that doesn’t seem the case…_

“Don’t let him get to you,” a worried Kageyama reassured Daichi. “He likes to razz people like that.”

Daichi was silent for a few seconds, before finally chuckling. “It’s true,” he remarked. “We don’t have much time before the Inter-High preliminaries, but _he_ should be coming back soon.”

Sugawara grinned, knowing exactly who Daichi was referring to.

“More importantly, Kageyama-kun!” Tanaka exclaimed. “Who was that girl? I’ve never seen anyone like her, she’s so…she’s just so…” He faltered, sparing occasional glances at Kiyoko, as if the manager was about to react to any of his words.

“That’s L/N-senpai,” Kageyama replied. “L/N Y/N-senpai. I don’t really know her that much, only that she’s Oikawa-san’s and Iwaizumi-san’s childhood friend.”

“Is she a volleyball player, too?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Kageyama’s eyes seemed unfocused. “The only contact I had with her was in junior high, and…well…”

His voice faltered, and Hinata tilted his head in confusion. “What is it?”

“Never mind.” Kageyama whirled around. “Let’s go.”

“Oho, what’s this?” Tsukishima teased. “The King getting all flustered over a girl?”

“I am _not_!” Kageyama growled, blush dusting the tips of his ears. “Dumbass Hinata. Let’s go!”

“Why am I the one getting yelled at?!”

Daichi and Sugawara laughed simultaneously, before following the group back to the bus. Sugawara looked back over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the two, who were still making their way back to the gym. Oikawa had slung his arm casually over Y/N, and the latter didn’t seem to mind.

_His girlfriend, maybe?_ Sugawara wondered.

Whatever the case, the image of Oikawa dominating the court and L/N Y/N practically glowing in the setting sun had etched themselves into his memory, filling him with a curious spirit and giving him the idea that today wouldn’t be the last he’d see of them.


	2. act 1: magnum opus

**Act 1**

“Good work today!”

As soon as the nets had been put away and the floors had been wiped down, Daichi called for a quick meeting. “Everyone, go take a shower,” he instructed. “Let’s have a quick snack at that café we saw when we were coming back from Aoba Johsai.”

Hinata squealed and jumped for joy. Daichi turned to Nishinoya, a warm smile on his face. “Nishinoya, you come, too.”

Karasuno’s former libero looked taken aback. “Sure, but…why?”

Daichi shrugged and turned away. “Just ‘cause. Come on, let’s go!”

Sugawara studied Daichi out of the corner of his eye. It was a clear ploy devised by the captain to encourage Nishinoya to return to the team. Thankfully, it seemed that no one but Sugawara had caught on.

“You’re going to say I should have invited Asahi today and hit two birds with one stone, huh?” Daichi told him in the shower room. Sugawara looked at him as he pulled his sweaty shirt off, mulling the thought over in his head.

“I wasn’t going to say that, but that would have been an excellent idea,” he replied.

Daichi slung a towel over his shoulder. “Baby steps,” he said. “Nishinoya’s raring to come back; the fact that he agreed to train the first years without much of a fight proves as much. Asahi, on the other hand…”

Sugawara nodded in agreement. He stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm water ran down his skin, releasing the tension from his muscles. _Daichi was always an opportunist_ , he thought, staring at his sud-covered hands. _If there’s a chance to gain some benefit in any situation, he takes it without hesitation. Granted, he’s not used it for his personal benefit, but for the team…_

He shook his head, scrubbing the shampoo into his scalp as if it could remove his intrusive thoughts.

* * *

“Welcome!”

The entire team collectively sighed as the strong aroma of coffee and cakes enveloped them, practically dragging them into the café.

Tanaka inhaled deeply and spread his arms. “Now I’m getting hungry,” he said excitedly.

He and Nishinoya materialized next to Kiyoko, who was studying the menu. “Kiyoko-san, do you want anything?” Nishinoya pressed. “We got you!”

“Hey, stop that,” Ennoshita scolded, bringing his fists down on top of the duo’s heads like he was playing Whack-A-Mole. “Also, didn’t you both spend way too much at lunch earlier?”

Sugawara laughed as he stepped forward to see the menu better.

“Hi! Can I get you anything?”

The curtain behind the bar had pulled back, revealing a familiar mop of brown hair.

Kageyama took a step back, a scandalized look on his face. “You—Oikawa-san?!”

“Oh?” Seijoh’s captain tilted his head, seemingly oblivious to Hinata’s surprised screech and Tanaka’s jeering. “The crows from Karasuno are here.”

“We saw this place on our way home after the practice match, so we wanted to check it out,” Daichi explained. “I didn’t know you owned this place, Oikawa-san.”

“It’s my sister’s, actually.” He glanced at Sugawara, who offered him a weak smile. He had not expected to see Oikawa Tooru, of all people, and so soon after their encounter. Fortunately, Oikawa took his smile as a friendly one and returned the gesture.

“Y-you don’t have practice today?” Hinata managed.

“We usually have Mondays off,” Oikawa answered, gesturing to the side of the café, where the Seijoh third-years were occupying a table, studying. “So, what’ll it be?”

He threw a blinding smile in Kiyoko’s direction, who seemed to be choosing between the cakes on the display. “What about you, Manager-chan? Anything you like?”

Sugawara could feel the waves of animosity radiating off Tanaka and Nishinoya, and he silenced them by clearing his throat loudly. Immediately, they fell silent, save for a few grumbles here and there.

They occupied multiple tables, even as Tsukishima and Yamaguchi decided to take their sandwiches to go (Tsukishima, in particular, seemed in a hurry to leave, and Yamaguchi followed suit). Kageyama was sulking, obviously caught off-guard by Oikawa’s presence, and snapped at Hinata every time he was addressed.

Although it was evening, the café seemed deserted, save for the rowdy Karasuno team and the Seijoh third years chatting over their dinners. It was a cozy little space, its polished wooden floors and neutral-colored walls giving it an elegant feel. Succulents and other smaller plants stood atop shelves hammered into the wall, along with other knick-knacks and trinkets.

“Here you go,” Oikawa sang, handing out the drinks from the tray he was holding. “Iced coffee for you, Sawamura-kun, and strawberry milkshake for you, Suga-kun.”

“Oh, thanks.” Sugawara accepted his drink carefully, noting the little chopped nuts on the whipped cream. He took a sip, and instantly marveled at the perfect blend of strawberries and milk.

“…Americano for you, Ennoshita-kun, do you honestly not plan on sleeping tonight? And a cup of warm milk for Baby Tobio-chan,” Oikawa handed Kageyama a steaming mug, a devilish smirk on his face as Kageyama yanked it away—as carefully as he could without spilling it all over himself.

Daichi hummed as he sipped his drink. “This is really good,” he remarked.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Oikawa smiled. “If you’ll excuse me.”

The bell sounded as the door swung open.

“Welco—oh, hey.”

“I’m telling Kaori-neesan you’re greeting customers like that.”

“Wha—hey, no fair!”

Sugawara turned in his seat to see a young woman pulling her hood down, fixing Oikawa with a smug smirk as he stuck his tongue out at her. He knew that oddly perfect posture…

“L/N Y/N,” he said, almost to himself.

“What?” Daichi glanced over his shoulder.

“Ryuu!” Nishinoya elbowed Tanaka. “Who is she?”

Tanaka’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “That’s L/N Y/N! A student from Seijoh…we ran into her after the practice match!”

“Ack! I should have been there, after all!”

“Then come back to the team!”

“Shoyou! Uh…”

“Hmph.” Oikawa turned his head away childishly. “I didn’t expect you to be back this early.”

“The director had an emergency, apparently,” Y/N replied, adjusting her gym bag strap. “But thanks to that, we have all of Saturday and all of Sunday to rehearse.”

“Sucks to be you. Hey, help me out here, will you?”

Sugawara quickly returned his gaze to his drink, realizing with flushed cheeks that he had been staring for too long.

“Sugawara, are you alright?” Kiyoko’s normally quiet voice sounded like it was being blasted through a megaphone.

“Y-yeah!” Sugawara cleared his throat. “I, uh, wanted to sneeze.”

A shiver ran down his spine as he felt someone pass behind him, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Y/N approach the Seijoh third-years’ table, holding a tray of sandwiches.

_So she works here?_ Sugawara watched as she set the plate down, before high-fiving who he realized was Seijoh’s ace, Iwaizumi Hajime. She continued chatting with the third-years until Oikawa called her back, and she winked at the three before strutting away, wolf whistles and laughter gracing her exit.

“Thanks for the drink,” Kageyama mumbled, setting his empty mug down before reaching for his gym bag. “I’m gonna go.”

“Oh, is that so?” Tanaka asked. “I thought you ordered a bagel.”

“Hinata can have it.”

“I can?” Hinata tilted his head.

“Kageyama-kun?”

Heat rose to Kageyama’s face as he whirled around to see Y/N holding another tray of sandwiches and snacks. Sugawara’s throat went so dry, he couldn’t even tell Nishinoya and Tanaka to quit openly gawking at her.

“Y/N-senpai,” Kageyama gulped. “H-hey.”

Y/N smiled brightly. “I haven’t seen you in ages! Are you leaving already?”

She looked at the team, and Sugawara could almost see the gears turning in her head. Finally, it clicked. “Ah, the Karasuno team!”

“L/N-san, nice to see you again,” Daichi greeted pleasantly.

“Please, call me Y/N,” Y/N said as she set their food down on the tables. “I didn’t know you went to Karasuno, Kageyama-kun.”

“Well, that’s…I’m…” Kageyama was making weird gestures, determinedly looking anywhere but at Y/N. Sugawara was relieved Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had left early—this was pure blackmail material.

“I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing your names,” she said. “Except for Sawamura-kun, Tooru’s told me about you. And there’s Kageyama-kun, of course…who was that little Shrimpy that called Tooru the “Grand King”?”

Hinata instantly blushed. “I’m Hinata Shoyou.”

“T-that’s Shimizu Kiyoko, our manager,” Kageyama managed, gesturing to Kiyoko, who nodded in greeting. “Ennoshita Chikara, Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Nishinoya Yuu, and Sugawara Koushi, our vice-captain.”

Y/N glanced at every member as Kageyama introduced them. When her eyes locked with Sugawara, he felt a jolt of electricity course through his entire body.

Her hair, which he had last seen in a neat bun, was now in a relaxed ponytail, with a couple of strands framing her face. Her smile was incredibly warm, and it put him at ease.

_No wonder Kageyama likes this girl._

“H-hello,” he stuttered.

“Hello, Sugawara” she said. Her voice was soft, almost like a whisper; but it caressed his name and held it so lovingly that he almost didn’t want to hear it again if it wasn’t her saying it.

He hadn’t realized he was holding his breath until she finally broke their gazes, and he let it out slowly. Kageyama’s awkward stuttering slowly tuned out, until all he could hear was Y/N’s faint giggles as she watched Kageyama practically pummel Hinata into the couch.

If there was one thing about Sugawara that he prided himself on, it was his ability to read people easily. He could sense no animosity, no hostility in Y/N; he wondered if she felt any negative feelings at all. In fact, he wondered if there was any defect in her at all. There was no doubt she was the most gorgeous person he’d ever seen, but like Oikawa, she almost seemed too beautiful to be real. She was a sculptural masterpiece, evident by the gentle curves that made up her figure that had to be lovingly molded by careful and skillful hands. But that was accentuated by the natural warmth she exuded, as well as her ability to put people at ease.

But behind that warm façade, he could sense something like a deep-seated sadness within her, written in her eyes. They told another story altogether, one he was having trouble reading.

“Suga-san,” Nishinoya asked, waving his hand in front of Sugawara, breaking him out of his thoughts. “You okay?”

“Huh?” He blinked, and suddenly realized that Y/N had already left. “Oh, sorry. I spaced out.”

“I guess that means it’s time to go home,” Daichi decided. “Good work today, everyone.”

The team muttered their respective goodbyes before filing out of the café. Daichi hung back to say goodbye to Seijoh’s third-years, and Sugawara dutifully waited for him in his seat.

He shifted his attention to the TV mounted on the wall, which was showing the nightly news. “…reports have been bringing in news of an increase in ghoul activity in the Miyagi prefecture, something that has caught the attention of the local authorities,” the reporter announced. “The families of the victims are clamoring for an appropriate response from the Commission of Counter-Ghoul, who have since been investigating the reasons behind this outside-Tokyo phenomenon.”

_Ghouls? In Miyagi?_ Sugawara frowned. _What are the odds…they’re everywhere, of course, but an increase in activity around these parts isn’t very likely…_

“So, they’re here,” Daichi said, standing next to Sugawara and staring at the news report. “Bunch of low-life vermin…”

“We’d better be careful going home,” Sugawara said, finishing his drink and standing from his seat. “Maybe consider ending practice a little earlier.”

Daichi clicked his tongue in disapproval and headed out, stopping to bow and bid Oikawa goodbye. Sugawara noticed that Y/N was nowhere to be seen—had she completely left the premises?

“See you around, Suga-kun,” Oikawa called, and he turned to see Seijoh’s captain waving at him. “Please visit us again.”

“Thanks, I will,” Sugawara promised. “You guys make good drinks.”

Oikawa winked, before disappearing behind the curtain again.

* * *

Sugawara wrapped his scarf tightly around his neck, watching his breath escape him in small, white puffs, as he trudged through the snow to the convenience store. His mother had sent him out to purchase a couple of items, and he had agreed without delay, only to be pummeled by the harsh leftover winds of winter as soon as he stepped out the door. He wondered why there was a need to buy food items when it was nearing the end of the week, when the weekend was reserved for grocery shopping, but he had to digress.

He reached his destination just as his nose began to hurt, and he sighed in relief when the convenience doors closed behind him. He fished out the list of ingredients he needed to buy, and began walking up and down the aisles.

He suddenly bumped into someone holding a can of coffee, and he quickly jumped out of the way just as the liquid hit the ground. “Ah! I’m so sorry!” he cried.

“It’s alright, I wasn’t looking, either,” a familiar voice responded. “Did you get any on your shirt?”

“No, I—” He looked up and gasped; it was Y/N, who had also jumped away from the spill, her outstretched hand still holding what was left of her coffee. When their eyes met, confusion flickered across her face, before it turned to that of recognition.

“Sugawara Koushi, right?” she asked.

“Y/N-san, I’m so sorry,” Sugawara apologized, praying she wouldn’t catch the blush that was forming across his cheeks. “Can—can I buy you another coffee?”

Y/N laughed and waved her hand dismissively. “No, no, there’s no need. I’m surprised to see you around so late.”

“You too,” Sugawara remarked, noting that she was carrying around her gym bag again. _Isn’t it a bit too late for club activities?_

“I was on my way home, actually,” she replied. “I just stopped by to buy some supplies.”

They walked through the store together, Sugawara remembering to grab the loaves of bread and cartons of milk for tomorrow’s breakfast. All Y/N had picked up was a pair of scissors, but as they reached the cashier, her attention turned to the rack of lighters.

His eyes widened as she skimmed through the different colors. _She can’t be—that doesn’t mean—_

Y/N picked out a black lighter and straightened up, placing it and the pair of scissors onto the counter in front of the cashier. She turned to see Sugawara look away from her purchases a little too quickly, a poor attempt to hide his evident shock. She laughed out loud, causing him to jump.

“I’m not that kind of girl, Suga-kun,” she giggled as she reached for her wallet. “Would you think any less of me if I was, though?”

“O-of course not,” he stuttered, feeling the heat rise from his cheeks to the tips of his ears at the sound of the nickname she had given him. Given, he’d already heard it from Oikawa, but hearing it from Y/N was a whole different feeling altogether.

“I’d like to believe that,” Y/N said, glancing over her shoulder to look at him with a playful grin. “These are for my shoes, if you must know. My pointe shoes.”

“Pointe shoes?”

“I’m a ballerina, Suga-kun,” she said, smiling brightly as the cashier handed her the receipt and her items. “A first soloist at the Sendai Ballet Company.”

Sugawara gaped at her as everything seemed to fall into place: her impeccable posture, the occasional turnout whenever she walked, the rather large gym bag that she carried with her every time.

“That’s amazing, Y/N-san,” was all he could manage to say, though he wasn’t sure “amazing” would cut it. Ballet wasn’t something he was familiar with, but seeing all those dancers performing complicated twists and jumps—all on their toes—on television was enough to give him a headache. He was sure that only superhumans could withstand all those turns and stay so long on their toes, but manage to make it look so effortless and fluid. Y/N hummed, obviously pleased by his reaction.

“I, uh,” he said. “Can I walk you home? It’s cold outside, and all those reports of ghouls in the area…it’s not safe to walk by yourself at this time.”

Her smile widened, and his heart skipped a beat. “I appreciate the concern, but I’m meeting up with a friend in a while,” she replied. “I’ll be fine.”

“A friend? This late?”

“They’re working late hours, and we live on the same street,” she explained. “Don’t worry. I won’t be going home alone.”

“If you say so…” Sugawara paid for his items and secured the bag inside his jacket, in an attempt to shield that and his hands from the biting cold on the way home.

“Please come to the café often,” Y/N said, as they exited the convenience store. “And bring your friends, too. It’ll do Tooru some good to have friends outside of Aoba Johsai.”

Sugawara laughed. “We’re a little noisy, you know.”

“That’s alright,” she replied, ducking her head to lift her mask back up. “I like talking to you.”

His eyebrows shot up as she quickly bowed, and took off into the opposite direction, wrapping her arms around herself. He watched as her bobbing head disappeared from view before going the other way, feeling warm all the way home.

* * *

“ _…police have been alerted of a corpse rotting away in an alley in downtown Sendai, which was discovered by apartment tenants living nearby. Although missing an arm and both legs, an autopsy revealed the body to be Hashimoto Orochi, nicknamed “The Snake” by authorities, who was notorious for shipping illegal drugs into the prefecture and evading police capture for years. It’s no secret that ghouls are running rampant around the city, and we urge our viewers to keep safe.”_


	3. pas de deux

Sugawara found himself a regular at the Oikawas’ cafe, which he’d come to know as “ _The Lake_ ”. He dropped by after practice often to enjoy a sandwich or two, frequented it during the weekends to study for tests, and generally just hung out with the other Karasuno members. Oikawa was there every day, although he worked as a barista on Mondays and on the weekends, reliving his sister Kaori, who worked every other day. It quickly became their default hangout spot, evident by how they decided without hesitation where to go to celebrate when Asahi eventually returned to the team.

He had to admit that the reason why he was hanging around so much at _The Lake_ was to catch a glimpse of her, and that every time, just before opening the door, he would hold his breath in anticipation. A visibly vexed Oikawa would later tell him that her rehearsals would often keep her from working regular hours.

He soon came to realize that her rest days were few and far between, but thankfully, he was lucky most days; hiding his excitement when he walked into the cafe one Saturday to see her wiping down the tables took a ridiculous amount of effort. She greeted him with a warm smile and a singsong welcome, which he returned with enthusiasm. She often took the time to sit and chat with him when there was no one else to serve, irking the two Oikawas when they found her sitting at a customer’s table.

Y/N would breeze through her shift with an effortless sort of air about her, getting even the most stoic of businessmen to crack a smile whenever she served their food. The only times that that elegance was broken was on the rare days where she and Oikawa worked together, in which Sugawara would catch them bickering over minute details like children. Oikawa seemed the most affected in those situations, while Y/N looked simply content with getting under his skin.

Regardless of Oikawa’s reaction to Y/N’s incessant teasing, anyone with a minimal depth of perception could pick up his frequent, lingering gazes on her figure, the slight twitch in his eye whenever Y/N leaned on Iwaizumi or any other male friends, and the softness in his expression when she would tutor his nephew Takeru during slow shifts.

Sugawara wasn’t sure of their real relationship. He also wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Nevertheless, he was content with watching from the sidelines, admiring the way she moved and the way she smiled.

_Don’t get too comfortable_ , the nagging voice in the back of his head sounded. _Remember what happens when you try to settle with what you have._

His grip on his coffee cup tightened.

" _This just in,_ " the reporter on the news announced, and he looked up from his notes. " _CCG investigators in Sendai have recorded the existence of a ghoul they have named "Crossbow", whose victims have died by a single arrow-like projectile in fatal areas such as the throat and the heart. Sendai News ghoul specialist Genji Haruka has this to say on…"_

"Goodness," a mother seated a couple of tables away from Sugawara remarked, pulling her daughter close to her. She looked up at Kaori, who had come to clean their table. "It's times like these where mothers like us have to keep our children closer than ever."

"We'd better get home before it gets dark, then," Iwaizumi said, standing up as Kindaichi and Yahaba wolfed down the rest of their food.

"I'll go with you," Oikawa said, removing his apron and tossing it behind the curtain.

"Huh? Your home is here, dumbass. We'll be fine on our own."

"I'll be back in a while, Sis." Oikawa ducked under the counter and grabbed his coat.

"Alright, take care," Kaori called.

"What was that all about?" Daichi muttered, turning back to his notes.

"I don't know," Sugawara answered. "He was pretty adamant to go."

"We'd better go, too," Asahi interjected, not bothering to hide the fear in his tone. "I'd rather not have an arrow go through my throat, or my heart, or my lungs, or my leg, or my arm, or…"

"All right, all right," Daichi grumbled, closing his notebook and grabbing his bag. Sugawara caught him shooting one last vengeful look at the TV before stuffing his notebook into his bag.

* * *

“Fancy seeing you again, Suga-kun!”

Sugawara looked up to see Y/N waving at him, her gym bag bouncing as she hurried towards him. He grinned as she approached. “If we’re going to keep meeting up in random places, I’m going to assume you’re stalking me, Y/N-san,” he joked.

Y/N feigned shock, stepping back and putting a hand over her heart. “Me? I didn’t think you’d take me for the predatory type.”

She nodded to the package Sugawara was holding. “Snacks for the family?”

Sugawara held it up. “My dad’s been wanting the _karaage_ box for some time now, but he’s been so busy at work, so I decided to pick one up.” He held out his hand and bowed, causing Y/N to erupt into a fit of giggles. “May I walk you to the station, my lady?”

Once Y/N had stopped laughing, she gratefully accepted his offer, opting to loop her arm through his instead of letting him take her hand.

He prayed that she wouldn’t notice the brilliant shade of red painting his face as they walked out of the shopping district.

“So, doting son, huh?” Y/N commented as they navigated the evening streets of Sendai. “Your parents must be lucky.”

“What, you don’t buy your dad gifts like these?”

“No, he left before I was born.”

“O-oh.” Sugawara swallowed, the shame dumping his body into ice-cold water. “I’m sorry.”

"Oh, please don't feel bad," Y/N said hurriedly, noting the regret in his tone. "It's alright, I don't mind. You didn't know."

Sugawara cleared his throat, trying to shake off his accidental fuck-up. "So, your mother…"

Y/N was quiet for several heartbeats. "She died when I was four."

"...I'm so sorry."

If there was any distress on Y/N's face, she managed to hide it well, save for a small frown that later smoothed out. To Sugawara, it was like the first crack in her perfect porcelain appearance.

"Hey, let's take a shortcut," she suggested. "There's one not far from here that can take us to the station pretty quickly."

"Really?" He checked his watch, then yelped. "Oh, crap! We're going to miss the train in ten minutes!"

Y/N laughed, all stress and worry melting off her face as she grabbed his hand and began to run.

To his surprise, he felt like he was back in training with how winded he got while running. He quickly realized that Y/N had been leading the way, practically dragging him along with incredible speed as they dodged the pedestrians in the late-night rush hour.

_I'm going to have to ask for the ballet company's cardio workout,_ Sugawara thought as he struggled to keep up. _How the hell is she this fast?!_

They eventually arrived at a dimly-lit alley sandwiched by two tall apartments. Y/N looked back at Sugawara, who was clutching his side and panting heavily.

"What?" she teased. "Aren't you part of the volleyball club?"

Sugawara shot her a dirty look, although it probably looked less menacing with how tired he was. _She doesn't even look the least bit fatigued,_ he noted begrudgingly.

"We'll get to the station through here," Y/N said, beginning to walk through the alley with no hint of fear.

"W-wait!" Sugawara struggled to catch up to her. "This looks dangerous."

"Not really. I go through here all the time."

"Well, you shouldn't!"

"It's alright." Her arm looped back into his, causing him to yelp in surprise. "After all, you're here with me."

He swallowed thickly. "I—"

A sudden noise stopped him in his tracks.

_What was that?_ He looked around, willing his eyes to adjust to the dark. _A cat knocking over a trash can?_

He realized Y/N had gone completely still next to him.

A gasp, then a breath—

"Out of the way!" Y/N's voice pierced his eardrums, and all air was knocked out of his lungs when he was pushed to the side, a faint whistling flying past him.

Y/N had knocked him into the wall, and they toppled into a couple of trash bags, startling the rats that had been gnawing on them. A loud _clang_ alerted him, and his eyes searched for the source.

A thin purple stick had embedded itself into one of the trash cans, faintly glowing in the dark before dissolving into nothingness.

His eyes widened. _It's the…_

"It's dinnertime," a voice sounded from above them.

Y/N pulled Sugawara out of the trash pile and to his feet. He had landed on what smelled like a spoiled milk carton, and he gagged. Y/N didn't seem to look—or smell—any better.

But it didn't look like she cared. Her eyes were fixed on something above her, and Sugawara squinted to see what it was.

The first thing he saw were red irises staring back at him.

"So kind of you to offer yourself up as a meal," the seemingly male voice continued, and it seemed to be getting closer. "With all these Doves prowling around, it's been getting harder and harder to feed."

Sugawara's throat had gone dry, and his mind was in so many places at once. _Should we run? Scream for help? Oh, God, Y/N...what do I do?_

A muted thud sounded from a couple of meters away, and it came from an unfamiliar figure walking towards them, silhouetted by the dark shadows of the alley.

"Oh, but you're all dirty," the figure remarked. "No worries. No harm in trying new things and flavors, right?"

"Suga-kun." Y/N's voice was low, and just barely louder than a whisper. "Run."

"What? Are you insane?!" Sugawara hissed. "That's a—"

"Please. Trust me." It was hard to see, but Y/N seemed to be glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

The figure finally stepped into one of the illuminated areas of the alley, revealing a middle-aged man with a broad grin. At first glance, he seemed like any normal working-class individual—a long-sleeved polo, khakis, glasses—but one look at those blood-red irises in a sea of black, and there was no denying what this creature actually was. And judging by that glowing projectile earlier, Sugawara quickly pieced all the information together.

The ghoul—no, the _Crossbow—_ sniffed the air once, then twice, before frowning. "That's weird. I haven't smelled this before…probably the garbage…"

He shrugged, before crouching. "Well, then…" He licked his lips. "Thanks for the meal!"

Sugawara found the courage to move just as he lunged at Y/N.

His body acted of its own accord, pushing Y/N aside while driving his shoulder into the ghoul's gut. It felt like running into a wall, causing Sugawara to grit his teeth in pain.

"Oho, putting up a fight, are we?" the Crossbow grinned devilishly. He stepped out of Sugawara’s way, letting him barrel past while cackling maniacally. Before Sugawara could steady himself, the ghoul’s leg had connected with his side with a heavy blow, knocking the back of his head into the wall with a sickening _crunch_.

He hit the ground, his vision darkening around the edges at alarming speed. He struggled to get up, but his limbs felt like jelly. Still, he forced the feeling back into his arms and legs, willing himself to remain conscious.

_I can’t...not now..._

But the darkness was taking over him, clawing at his ankles and lulling him into a deep sleep. He was teetering over the edge, and he was inches away from hitting the bottom. It seemed much easier to let go; why struggle when he was going to fall, anyway?

Through the stars dancing in his eyes, he watched as the Crossbow turned to Y/N.

Sugawara summoned what was left of his strength to get up, the beginnings of a roar ripping itself out of his throat.

"Suga-kun, _don't!_ "

The Crossbow's elbow jumped into his line of sight; before he knew it, it was right between his eyes.

There was a sickening crunch. His vision went dark, and his body went slack.

* * *

“...kun. Sugawara-kun. Can you hear me?”

He managed to force his eyelids open, and found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. The light had been switched off, and nothing was illuminating the room except for a faint glow that he could see out of the corner of his eye. His vision was blurry and unfocused, and he blinked rapidly.

That unfamiliar voice was calling his name again, making him turn his head to search for the source. Immediately, his face scrunched up as a sudden wave of pain crashed over him.

“That’s not good. He’s probably got a concussion,” the voice floated in and out of his ears. “How hard did he hit his head?”

“Very hard, apparently,” another more familiar voice replied.

“How eloquent of you.”

“He was thrown into a brick wall. I think that constitutes as “very hard”.”

He heard a scoff, then a sigh. “I've set his nose, but it doesn't seem broken,” the first voice said. “Sugawara-kun, can you hear me? Can you talk?”

He opened his eyes once more, and searched for his voice. Thankfully, it came to him without much effort, or pain. “What—” he croaked pitifully. “Who—where am I?”

“Can you remember your name?”

“Y-yeah.” He moistened his lips. “I’m Sugawara Koushi.”

“Good, good. Keep going.”

“I’m a third-year at Karasuno. I’m a setter for the volleyball club. My father—” His eyes widened. The _karaage_ box. The shopping district. A warm smile. An alley. Red irises in a sea of black…

A sudden twinge of pain pierced his head, and he winced. A warm hand passed over his forehead, offering him a momentary respite from the pain. But he forced himself to stay conscious, no matter how strongly he wanted to go to sleep.

Sugawara blinked again, and his vision sharpened. Sitting next to him was none other than Oikawa Kaori herself, her warm, callused hand caressing his forehead gently. His eyes flickered over to the other side, where he could barely make out the figure hunched over in front of the computer, facing him rather than the screen.

He’d know that mop of brown hair anywhere.

"Do you remember what happened?" Oikawa Tooru asked, his voice low, but it boomed in Sugawara's ears.

"I—I was shopping," Sugawara managed. "We took a shortcut…"

He trailed off, silent for a couple of seconds, before he abruptly sat up. Immediately, he was hit by a wave of nausea so hard, he could taste the bile and the pork buns he had ingested on his tongue. Fortunately, he was able to keep his afternoon snack from making a reappearance, and he blinked the tears away from his eyes.

"Y/N." Her name escaped his lips in a terrified whisper. "What...what happened?"

Kaori opened her mouth to answer, but her pocket buzzed. She took her phone out and examined the caller ID. "It's your mom," she said. "She was listed as an emergency contact on your phone, so I managed to get her number without unlocking it."

"I don't really mind, but thank you," Sugawara replied. "Really, thank you."

Kaori smiled, and he noticed it was a lot warmer than her brother's. "I'll tell her what happened," she said, standing up and leaving the room.

Once the door had closed behind her, Oikawa sighed and sat on the floor, cross-legged. Sugawara realized he had been lying on a _futon_ , which was probably Oikawa's. He attempted to scooch out of it and onto the mat, but the slightest movement felt like nails were being hammered into his skull.

"What happened to Y/N?" he asked, once his stomach began to settle. "T-there was a ghoul. She tried to protect me. Told me to run, and I…"

His fists clenched the covers. Before blacking out, out was the Crossbow standing over Y/N, primed and ready to strike.

Oikawa smiled, and reached over to pat Sugawara's ankle. "She's fine. She's taking a shower right now."

"Huh?" Sugawara couldn't believe his ears. "T-then, the ghoul…? How did that—wait, how did we get here?"

Oikawa hummed in response and tapped his chin, in deep thought. "I was out for a run in the area, and I happened across that alley. That ghoul ran off so quickly at the sight of me, I almost thought it was Iwa-chan!"

He laughed heartily. Sugawara blinked in disbelief.

"Then, we carried you home," Oikawa continued. "How's that? Do you believe me?"

"Not really…"

"Hmm, that's good. We must always be in a position to question all our circumstances." Oikawa smiled mysteriously, as if that had somehow cleared it up. "Thankfully, that ghoul hadn't done anything to Y/N-chan."

His eyes softened. "She told me what happened. She said she would have been a goner if you hadn't saved her back then. You put your life on the line for her sake, and for that, I am forever grateful."

Sugawara made no attempt to hide the blush that was creeping up his neck, hoping that the dark would somehow do it for him. Oikawa seemed so genuine; one look at his expression when talking about Y/N's safety was a dead giveaway.

But there was something other than the headache that was bothering him—somehow, some things just didn't add up. He could remember Y/N's calm and determined expression when the ghoul had confronted them in that alley, and there had been a sharpness in her tone when she ordered him to make a break for it. She seemed composed, confident, even _._

_I go through here all the time_ , she had said.

"My sister's a nurse, so you're in good hands," Oikawa said, standing up. "How are you feeling? Think you can take a shower?"

"Eh?" Sugawara took a moment to assess himself; the pain in his head seemed to have eased to a dull throb, and he no longer felt the urge to throw up after making sudden movements. "I think I can."

He sniffed his arm and immediately recoiled in disgust. He had to assume his hair wasn't faring any better. Then, he realized he had been lying on Oikawa's bed all this time.

"Oh no!" he wailed. "Oikawa-san, I'm so sorry! I'll get these dry-cleaned, I promise!"

"Nah, don't sweat it," Oikawa laughed. "It's laundry day tomorrow, anyway, and I've been meaning to air the _futon_ out for weeks now."

"B-but…"

"It's fine, Suga-kun. Kaori thinks you've got a concussion, so you shouldn't be exerting much effort right now." His eyebrows furrowed a bit. "Of course, that includes volleyball."

Sugawara closed his mouth. He hadn't thought about that. Perhaps if he had just stayed down, it wouldn't have gotten so bad…

He shook his head. _What am I saying? Y/N was…if I had just let myself go down without at least trying to save her…_

"But that's something the doctors have to decide." Oikawa knelt next to him. "Here, let me help you up."

Sugawara was able to stand without much difficulty, although the room spun dangerously once he had gotten to his full height. But Oikawa's hand was strong and steady on his back, keeping him from toppling over.

"Slowly," Oikawa murmured.

Sugawara took a tentative step forward. Then another. And another. He sighed, thankful that he was able to walk relatively normally. Oikawa led him outside and down the corridor.

"Think you can take a shower on your own? I could help out, if you want. I don't mind." Oikawa waggled his eyebrows in the most unattractive way possible.

Sugawara managed a weak laugh, lightly punching Oikawa's arm. "I can do it by myself, thanks."

He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Immediately, he was enveloped by the warm, familiar scent of cocoa butter, like his mother's perfume. Even with the vent on, the scent lingered, but he wasn't complaining.

He removed his clothes, cringing as the stench of spoiled milk and God knows what else momentarily blocked the wonderful aroma floating around the bathroom. He placed them in a neat pile on the floor and stepped into the shower, running the water adjusting the temperature.

Sugawara sighed as he scrubbed off the dirt, grime, and what seemed to be flecks of his blood off his skin (at least, he hoped it was _his_ blood). He helped himself to a bit of shampoo and body wash, making sure there was no trace of that garbage odor left.

Oikawa called behind the door to inform him that there was a towel and a couple of clothes outside, and Sugawara shouted his thanks as he turned the shower off. He opened the door quickly to grab the articles, and toweled himself off before slipping into what clearly was Oikawa's clothes.

Oikawa nodded approvingly as Sugawara stepped out of the shower, the towel draped over his dripping hair. "At least they fit," he said. He handed Sugawara a plastic bag. "You can put your clothes here so you can carry them home."

"I don't know how to thank you, Oikawa-san," Sugawara said, taking the bag from him gratefully. "Really, you and Kaori-san, you shouldn't have…"

"You saved Y/N-chan back there," Oikawa replied. "This is nothing compared to what you did."

_I blacked out before I could do anything,_ Sugawara wanted to say, but he decided against it. He didn't want to offend them, not when they went above and beyond for him tonight. "Where's Kaori-san?"

"Tucking Takeru in. She told me to tell you that your parents want you driven to the hospital as soon as you're able to move around. We've already called for a taxi."

"I see," Sugawara sighed. He wondered how Kaori was able to explain anything to his mother, knowing how hysterical she could get.

"What is it, Suga-kun?" Oikawa asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Sugawara replied. "Just a little dazed, I guess…"

"That so? You should get checked up, just in case." Oikawa grinned, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I'd want to play against you and your band of crows, for real."

Sugawara blinked, then laughed. For a moment, he had forgotten that he was speaking to Seijoh's captain, who had a demonic serve that no ordinary player could receive with ease. Whose setting skills surpassed even Kageyama's at the moment. Who was an opponent as soon as they stepped onto the court.

"Oikawa-san, um…"

"What is it?"

"How—how are you and Y/N related?" Sugawara held his breath after asking the question. "L-like, are you cousins, or siblings, or...or…"

He looked up at Oikawa, whose grin had grown even wider. He opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by loud, frequent banging coming from the room in front of them.

_What?_

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Here we go again," he grumbled, beckoning Sugawara over to the door with a flick of his head. "Usually she does that to piss me off."

He knocked a couple of times before opening the door. Sugawara peeked over his shoulder to see Y/N, dressed in a large shirt and shorts, banging one of her shoes against the floor. Her hair was in a towel, which threatened to fall off with how violently she was moving. A sewing kit sat beside her, along what Sugawara recognized as the scissors and the lighter she had bought at the convenience store all those days ago.

She spotted the two and put her shoe down. "Would it kill you to knock?" she complained, but there was no real venom in her words.

"I did knock," Oikawa replied dryly. "Maybe if you weren't too busy hammering a hole into the floor, you would have heard it."

"My last pair was crap and I had to get new ones," Y/N explained, taking the same shoe she had been battering mercilessly and bending it over itself until it cracked. "I want to break these in before I go to bed."

Oikawa sniffed. "And you always say I work myself too hard."

"I do." Y/N stood, brushing loose threads off her shirt before running to Sugawara. He barely had time to prepare himself before she wrapped him into her arms, burying her face in his chest. The smell of cocoa butter hit him with full force, making him melt into her embrace.

"I'm sorry," Y/N said, her voice slightly muffled. "I'm so sorry. If I had known—I wouldn't have—"

"I'm fine, Y/N-san," Sugawara assured, smiling down at her as she pulled away to look up at him. "To be honest, I think you could have taken on that ghoul."

She laughed, a pure and clear sound that reverbated throughout his whole body.

"But still, you have to get that checked," she said. "I don't know how to thank you. Jumping in front of a ghoul...I don't even want to know what would have happened if…"

_If…?_

"It's okay now," Oikawa said, patting the top of Y/N's head. "Suga-kun's on his way to the hospital. Let's hope it's not that serious."

Y/N nodded. "I'll go with you."

"No, please don't," Sugawara said hastily. "I don't want to inconvenience you all more than I already have. More importantly, Y/N-san, you were attacked by the ghoul, too. You need to recover."

Y/N blinked, before smiling. "I guess so."

A car honked outside.

"That must be the taxi," Oikawa said. "All right, you two. Say your good-nights."

"Please take care, Suga-kun," Y/N said. "Text me when you get home, alright?"

"I will." Sugawara nodded. "I'm glad you're okay, Y/N-san."

Y/N smiled and waved at him as he followed Oikawa downstairs. He was surprised to see the cafe as he reached the bottom of the stairs—so that was what was behind the curtain, he thought—but he kept going.

After Oikawa had given the driver instructions and the money for the fare, he turned to Sugawara, a paper bag in hand. "Kaori thought you'd be hungry," he said, tossing it to Sugawara. "It's no _karaage,_ but it should do."

"Oikawa-san…" Sugawara swallowed. "I'll definitely pay you back someday."

Oikawa winked, and stepped back, letting the taxi drive off.

Sugawara munched on his chicken sandwich happily, staring out the window. The reality of what had just happened was barely sinking in, and he knew it. The fact that ghouls were indeed active around the prefecture, and that they could target almost anybody...when Sugawara saw the Crossbow looming over Y/N, he almost seemed to understand what Daichi was feeling.

_Speaking of Y/N_ …Sugawara mused. She had been inches away from telling him what had really happened in that alley—or, at least, what was the worst that could have happened. She seemed to have been conscious for the entire thing.

Regular people would have been traumatized beyond belief upon encountering ghouls. But if anything, Y/N had seemed...rather composed about it, as was Oikawa and his sister.

Sugawara shuddered to think about what they had possibly gone through to become that desensitized.

He arrived at the ER to the wailing of his mother and the concerned expression of his father. After going through the details of what Kaori must have missed during her explanation, Sugawara was examined by a physician. His nose had been dislocated, but since it had been set, there was no real cause for panic. He thankfully had no concussions, but was prescribed a week's worth of bed rest and strictly light activities only anyway.

_There are worse things,_ he thought.

He fell asleep on the way home, dreaming of nationals, a cup of coffee, and a pair of sad, but beautiful eyes.


	4. borrowed time

"Thank you very much!" Y/N bowed as the last customer closed the door behind them. She sighed, put her tray down, and slid into the seat in front of Sugawara.

He chuckled as she sprawled out on the table. "Tired?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Y/N grumbled. "The production's coming up. Which reminds me…"

She straightened up and rummaged through her pockets, her face brightening as she found what she was looking for. She handed him a stiff piece of paper, which he realized was a ticket.

"We're doing _Swan Lake_ this season," she said proudly, leaning back in her seat. "It's my debut as the Swan Queen, so it's gonna be big."

"Whoa." Sugawara studied the ticket, which had a simple but elegant swan drawn, along with a pair of black and white ballet shoes.

Y/N's eyes were soft as she continued. "Please accept this as my thanks. I know it's not much to make up for what you did, but I still hope you can attend."

Sugawara blinked, before swallowing thickly. The incident with the Crossbow seemed so long ago, even though it had only been a couple of days. He remembered coming to school and being swamped by the volleyball team, asking him endless questions about what happened. Asahi had actually teared up when he asked about the Crossbow, and even when Sugawara insisted that the ghoul was currently being tracked down by Doves, the ace didn’t seem convinced.

Daichi had been extremely concerned, and had Sugawara sit out a couple of practices. He didn’t complain—he had Kiyoko for company during that time, after all, and it was fun to tease Tanaka and Nishinoya about it. He was grateful to everyone for their get-well wishes, and for the extra pork buns he got from Daichi, but he could feel his best friend’s animosity towards ghouls grow more and more since the incident.

_That kind of feeling…_ he had mused. _That mindless hatred is going to get him hurt on the field if he gets into the Academy._

"L-like I said, Y/N-san, you don't need to thank me. But what about Oikawa-san?"

Y/N rolled her eyes. "This is the third time he's seen _Swan Lake_ with me in it, so I didn't think he wanted to go. But he managed to charm our poor old receptionist into getting him some complimentary seats, so he's going. Hajime's going, too, if his mom lets him."

"I see," Sugawara replied. He smiled, grateful to be included in such a special occasion. "I'll go, Y/N-san. It's going to be a real honor to see you perform."

"Aww, you," Y/N giggled. Sugawara swore he saw a hint of a blush sprinkled across her cheeks. "W-well, it's a one-night only event. And it's a couple of days after the Inter-high Prelims."

_What?_ He checked the ticket again. "Oh, yeah."

She shook her finger at him mischievously before standing up. "But I don't want to see any squabbling, no matter what happens, you hear?"

Sugawara laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

The afternoon went by rather slowly, but Sugawara wasn't complaining. He was more than happy to sit with his notes, reviewing his lessons while sneaking glances at Y/N every now and then. She was working alone today, on account of Oikawa practicing overtime and Kaori going on a business trip. Thankfully, there weren't many customers, so she was free to kick back and relax.

She hummed as she worked, and it amused him to see her practicing her steps every now and then, gliding across the floor and making small hops. At his request, she demonstrated what she called a _fouettè_ , as best as she could without using her pointe shoes. All he saw was Y/N turning into a human top, whirling around like a tornado before coming to an abrupt stop, arms poised delicately over her head.

"Beautiful," Sugawara laughed, clapping his hands. "Beautiful, beautiful."

Y/N brushed her ponytail over her shoulder in mock arrogance before sitting down in front of him once more. "I know I am."

"You are," he said.

They fell silent, as Sugawara's sudden reply sank in.

"Ah," he tried lamely. "I meant—"

Y/N laughed weakly. "S-so," she said, hastily changing the subject and nodding to his notebook. "Literature, huh?"

"Yeah. Exams are coming up."

"Literature was never my best subject, either." The microwave beeped, and she excused herself briefly to disappear behind the counter. She returned with Sugawara's sandwich, the cheese sizzling as it slid down the bread.

"You guys make the best food," he praised, cutting his sandwich in half to see the cheese stringing out between the two pieces. He pushed the other half towards Y/N, who demurred. "Oh, come on, you have to taste your own cooking!"

"This baby is not built for dairy," Y/N said, patting her stomach. "Tooru's on toilet duty tonight, and he's been so tired lately."

Right. _Seijoh's probably going to aim for nationals_ , Sugawara thought. _If we do beat them...it'll be over for the third years._

"So, Suga-kun," Y/N said, breaking him out of his musings. "Have you decided on which university you're going to?"

Sugawara dreaded the university question. If he had it his way, he'd just play volleyball forever, regardless of how often he'd get put into matches. But, like it or not, that question had lodged itself into the minds of every third year—a constant reminder of what they should be working towards.

"I was thinking of entering the Academy," he answered, as he had to everyone and every form that had asked.

Y/N looked surprised. "The Ghoul Investigator Training Academy?"

"Yeah. Both Daichi and I will take the entrance exam in the fall."

Y/N hummed in response, and leaned forward to rest her chin on her upright hands. Her eyes were bright and curious, and Sugawara found it hard to look away. "So?" she asked. "I assume you have some deep-seated hatred towards ghouls, huh?"

Sugawara paused to think about it. If he had been asked that before, he would have had a hard time answering. But for every night the Crossbow's blood-red irises stared back at him every time he closed his eyes, he found himself becoming more and more sure of what he wanted in the future.

"I think there's a need to protect humans," he said. "From a species that is dependent on them for survival."

"Like how humans are dependent on livestock?"

"Yeah...something like that." He suddenly found Y/N's gaze incredibly intense.

"So, you're saying we should defend the livestock?"

"I wouldn't call us that, no," Sugawara laughed. "I just think...this world's cruel to pit species against species, but that's how it was built. We just have to do the best that we can with our given circumstances."

If there was anything Oikawa and Y/N had in common, it was the look on their faces whenever they were in deep thought. In that moment, it was as if there was nothing else in the world they were seeing except that one thing, be it a person, an object, or an unseen thought. The look in their eyes was sharp, calculating...cold, even.

Sugawara had seen it on Oikawa when he played in their practice match. He had seen it on Y/N when they were facing down the Crossbow, and it was what he was seeing right now.

To his relief, she suddenly smiled, the weight of her gaze lifting immensely. Sugawara hadn't noticed he had been practically immobile all this time.

"Well, you've certainly gotten the protective instinct down," Y/N said, winking at him. "I'll remember to put in a good word for you."

He grinned and leaned back in his seat. ""Tried to save a beautiful ballerina from a ghoul; got knocked out in the process." Yeah, that'll look real nice on the resume."

She laughed, cool and crisp as a bell ringing in a cold winter morning.

* * *

The Karasuno team stepped off the bus in front of the gleaming Sendai City Gymnasium, which was equal parts stunning and intimidating in the morning sun. Even though it was the second day, and they managed to get past Datekou’s Iron Wall, the nerves were far from gone.

Daichi pounded Sugawara’s back as they walked. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m about to pull a Hinata and spend an hour in the restroom.”

“Ha. You’re doing better than Stubbly over there, then.” Daichi pointed to Asahi over his shoulder. True enough, Karasuno’s ace was paler than a sheet, despite Nishinoya hovering over him and offering words of encouragement.

Sugawara laughed. “Well, he _did_ just get over his fear of getting shut down...I think we can forgive him this time.”

He glanced over at Kageyama, whose signature scowl seemed deeper than ever. _Seijoh practically barrelled their way to this point,_ he thought. _I wonder how Kageyama will be doing against Oikawa._

He recalled Oikawa directly pointing at Kageyama, that devilish grin on his face. “ _I_ _want to pulverize my dear underclassman_ ,” he had said. “ _Setter-on-setter, in an official match_.”

Watching Oikawa leading Seijoh through their matches with practiced ease, it was hard not to agree with his prediction right then and there.

“Suga, you all right?” Daichi asked, concerned.

“My teammates are strong,” Sugawara said, almost to himself. “If we go down today, we won’t go down easy.”

Daichi blinked, surprised by Sugawara’s comment. He then smiled, and nodded in agreement. “We won’t go down,” he corrected, earning him a smile from Sugawara in return. “Not today.”

* * *

“Go, go, go, go, go, Seijoh!”

“Go, go, go, go, go, Seijoh!” the crowd chorused in return.

“Push it, push it, push it, push it, push it, Seijoh!”

“Push it, push it, push it, push it, push it, Seijoh!”

Daichi sighed as they wheeled the ball carrier out on the court. “Looks like I’m busting my vocal chords again today.”

“Well,” Ennoshita offered. “At least those girls from last time won’t be—”

“Oikawa-san!” a shrill voice rang through the gymnasium, accompanied by some others. The team simultaneously looked up to see a group of female students in Seijoh’s audience area, cupping their hands around their mouths. “Do your best!”

Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Hinata’s outraged cries met theirs, and Daichi turned to Ennoshita, faces dark.

“You spoke too soon.”

“Indeed. I’m sorry.”

The excited squeals suddenly died and turned to snake-like hissing, and Sugawara looked up to see Y/N herself, making her way over to the crowd of Seijoh supporters. His pulse raced as he noticed that she had let her hair down, which framed her face rather beautifully. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to have noticed his flustered expression (nor the group of girls staring her down like she was an insect) as she peered over the railings, smiling and waving.

He looked over to see the Seijoh third-years waving back at her, even getting the stern-looking Iwaizumi Hajime to crack a genuine smile. Oikawa, who was waiting for Daichi over by the referee, who was looking at Y/N with unmistakable joy in his eyes.

_No wonder all his fangirls dislike her_ , Sugawara thought. _If someone could get_ **_the_ ** _Oikawa Tooru to look at them like that, then…_

He shook his head, ignoring the slight twinge in his chest.

“We’re serving first,” Daichi told Coach Ukai, when he returned.

“Alright.” Coach Ukai nodded. “Go get warmed up.”

_We’re not going to lose,_ Sugawara repeated in his head. **_I’m_ ** _not going to lose._

“Karasuno!” Daichi bellowed, his voice easily drowning out Seijoh’s chants. “Fight!”

“Yeah!”

* * *

Kageyama was panicking.

Sugawara could see it in his movements. Even with Hinata switched out of the rotation, his sets were still increasing in speed, as if thinking that Tanaka and the other spikers could keep up.

Well, that was probably a normal response, he had explained to Hinata when the orange-haired middle blocker sat out his turn. Although they were far from the impenetrable fortress that was Datekou, Seijoh’s blocks were just as unyielding and consistent, denying Tsukishima, Tanaka, and even Asahi multiple times. Speed was the best way to get through those kinds of blocks, but as far as Sugawara was concerned, no one else had the near-animalistic speed that Hinata had…

They watched as Tanaka’s receive went long, sailing dangerously close over the net. “Push it, Kageyama!” Daichi yelled.

The setter complied, jumping to hit it over and close the gap. Unfortunately, Oikawa was there just as he hit the summit, locking the two into a joust.

There was no mistaking as to who had the upper hand.

Oikawa pushed harder until the ball eventually slipped, past Kageyama’s fingers and onto Karasuno’s side of the court. Kageyama fell flat on his behind, forcing himself to look up at Oikawa’s tall, dominating figure, something like a mix of triumph and pity on his face.

“It’s like he’s not his usual self,” Yamaguchi commented sadly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kiyoko was waving Sugawara over to the bench. He followed suit, wondering what was going on.

Eventually, Sugawara’s prediction ended up coming true: Kageyama’s set became too fast for anyone to follow. The ball missed Tsukishima’s hand, and all they could do was stare at it in horror. Although Asahi was able to follow-up, the damage had already been done, as it went back safely and easily for Seijoh to receive.

Oikawa set the ball to their #3, who spiked it effortlessly into Karasuno’s court, sealing a solid 9-point lead.

Kageyama panted heavily, his thoughts whirling at a hundred miles an hour. The fact that he had actually _missed_ a set, what he should have done, what he ought to do in the next rally, how to position himself, how to stay on the court and win…

Then, he wasn’t thinking at all, when the whistle blew and a hand holding up the number 9 entered his line of sight.

His stomach dropped.

Sugawara stepped out onto the court, waiting to be recognized, and looking at Kageyama’s distraught expression.

It slowly turned into an expression of defeat, and Kageyama kept his head down as he ran over to switch.

Before they parted ways, however, Sugawara caught Kageyama’s shoulder in a gentle yet firm grip. “Don’t get depressed,” he told his junior quietly. “We’re just changing up the rhythm for a bit.”

He heard Kageyama exhale, muttering a quick, “I’m sorry” before taking off. Sugawara went in the other direction, towards the court, where Daichi and the others were waiting.

_I’m worried about him,_ he thought. _But if those two break right now, at the same time…_

“I said I’d be the one that defeats you!”

He jumped a little at Hinata’s tone, and so did the others. They turned to see Hinata, in all his 163 centimeters of glory, looking up at Kageyama with an annoyed expression. “So,” he continued, much to the surprise of Coach Ukai, Takeda-sensei, and Kiyoko in front of him. “Don’t lose to anyone else before that!”

Kageyama’s face was a mix of surprise, embarrassment, and anger, and for a second, Sugawara braced himself to stage an intervention.

Thankfully, Kageyama’s expression melted back into his regular scowl, though it was much less scathing than usual. “The match isn’t over yet,” he grumbled. “So I haven’t lost.”

Sugawara sighed, smiled, and faced the team just as Yamaguchi dragged Hinata away. _Guess I don’t have anything to worry about after all,_ he thought. _Now, then…_

He delivered a quick punch to Daichi’s chest, catching the captain by surprise. “Hey!”

He rubbed Tanaka’s buzz head rapidly. “Hey!”

Asahi’s side was the next victim, sustaining a sharp chop. “Hey!”

Tsukishima’s glasses were knocked off his nose as the same hand came down on top of his head. “Hey!”

Only Nishinoya came out of the whole ordeal unscathed, meeting Sugawara’s hands for a double high-five. “Hey!”

Sugawara laughed. “It’ll be fine,” he assured them. “Let’s break their streak.”

His words and previous actions had the intended effect; the team visibly relaxed, a wide grin painting each and every single one of their faces (save for Tsukishima, but Sugawara knew better).

“Daichi!” he added, making him jump. “You’re not being as loud as usual!”

“Huh?”

“A captain can’t lose his composure!”

“Y-yeah,” Daichi replied sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Sugawara glanced over his shoulder to see Oikawa, smirking almost cockily at him. He grinned and bowed slightly, and Oikawa responded in kind.

“Tsukishima,” Sugawara called, beckoning the blond middle blocker over as soon as he looked away.

* * *

They’d finally gotten two points in, thanks to Sugawara’s quick thinking. Switching places with Tsukishima when they jumped to block, and getting Hinata to jump a little higher against a center quick...it was like he had been playing with them since the beginning.

He clutched his chest to steady his breathing, as the beginnings of fatigue began to take over. _I know I felt frustrated watching the game from the outside_ , he thought. _But I saw the game more calmly than I would if I was playing. The time I wasn’t in the game was preparation for this._

He looked over at Oikawa, who had the tiniest bit of frustration cast over his features. He’d caught it whenever Y/N would go too far with her teasing, but it was never that serious. As was any negative emotion directed towards her.

It was unnerving to know that he was partly responsible for that expression.

He shook the nerves off and signalled Tanaka and Hinata his planned attack, away from Seijoh’s careful eyes.

The whistle blew, alerting them of Seijoh’s serve, which they promptly returned. Tanaka’s spike was easily picked up, and Oikawa set to Iwaizumi. Seijoh’s ace slammed the ball over the net, right into Daichi’s receive. As Sugawara geared up to set, a flash of orange darted out from the edge of the court.

Before he knew it, Hinata was already there.

“He’s not Tobio-chan, so there won’t be any god-like quicks!” Oikawa barked, startling the two blockers on their side of the net.

_Of course not._ Sugawara had to agree. _But I’m sure this is enough._

The ball soared through the air, hovering in front of Hinata’s hand as he swung to spike. The sound of the ball hitting his hand and the ball hitting the floor were mere seconds away from each other... _as expected of the other half of the freak toss-and-spike._

“Yeah!” Hinata jumped to give Sugawara a double high-five, as the rest of the players huddled around them to celebrate.

_I’m definitely inferior to Kageyama when it comes to technique and physical ability,_ he thought. _But I’ve spent quite a while watching our team. If it were just me against Aoba Johsai, I wouldn’t stand a chance…_

He looked at them: Daichi’s grin, Asahi’s newfound confidence, Tanaka and Hinata’s boisterous laughter, and even Tsukishima’s poker face.

_But my teammates are plenty strong._

The game continued, with Karasuno closing the gap for every point Seijoh scored. But as soon as Seijoh slipped over the twenties, Sugawara knew they were running on borrowed time. It was made even more apparent when it was Seijoh’s turn to serve, and when Sugawara turned to see who it was—

_Ah,_ he thought, his nerves beginning to creep up on him once more. _Who else, huh?_

Oikawa stood behind the line, dribbling the ball almost menacingly, the look of laser-sharp focus—eerily similar to Y/N’s—etched onto his face.

He hoped his earlier observation was correct, and that he wasn’t leading Daichi, Hinata, and Tanaka into a trap. Otherwise, judging by the look on Oikawa’s face, the set would be Seijoh’s in a matter of minutes.

The whistle sounded, and Oikawa tossed the ball into the air—that risky height that Sugawara was sure nobody else could hit except for him.

And there was that gunshot again, tearing through the air as it hurtled towards Karasuno’s side of the court. “Got it!” Tanaka yelled, at the same time Nishinoya shouted, “Leave it to me!”

They leaned in the same direction, realizing at the very last second what was happening. They froze, and the ball landed just in between them, earning Oikawa’s nth service ace of the day.

Sugawara shuddered. He would never willingly receive one of Oikawa’s monster serves, if the reddening marks on Nishinoya and Daichi’s forearms were any warning.

He would later realize that power wasn’t all Oikawa had, but also a demonic sense of control—he was apparently proficient in floater serves, catching Karasuno off-guard when the ball landed just barely over the net. Sugawara barely even moved when the players in front dove for the ball, missing spectacularly.

It was Seijoh’s set point. But none of them seemed ready to give up, even with nine points to close the gap.

Daichi received Oikawa’s third serve, and Sugawara’s spirits rose. Maybe he _was_ right after all. Tanaka and Hinata rushed in from the wings, and Asahi followed a second later—Sugawara tossed to him.

Asahi’s back attack blew through the blocks, but it was picked up anyway, albeit going a bit long.

“Hinata!” Kageyama bellowed. “It’s coming to you!”

Hinata jumped to spike, his fingers barely brushing the ball as he pushed it back over the net.

“You suck!”

“Oh, shut up!”

Oikawa set the ball to #12. Sugawara saw it, clear as day. _The timing of Seijoh’s quicks seems to be a bit slower than ours_ , he had told Daichi, Tanaka, and Hinata. _Build up just a bit more than usual, then…_

Hinata jumped once more, effectively blocking #12’s spike. Sugawara grinned.

It was a spectacular block; unfortunately, the ball went out of bounds.

The whistle blew—Seijoh had taken the first set.

* * *

The second set was anything but easier than the first.

Seijoh seemed to have caught up on Karasuno’s techniques, something Sugawara was trying to delay for another set or two. But with Oikawa’s eyes on him for extended periods of time, he surmised that Seijoh’s captain had been studying him like a textbook, relentlessly taking all the information he needed for a counter-attack.

_Slowly, I feel like I’m being strangled_ , he said, gearing up for another set. _Yet, strangely, I feel rather calm, because panic hasn’t affected my concentration yet. That’s because our goal is so clear in front of us._

His fatigue was just about to hit its peak, but he felt far from tired. His quickening pulse, labored breathing, beads of sweat rolling down his face...this was a feeling he had been longing to feel. The pressure of the court. The sounds of the crowd. Knowing that somewhere in that crowd, a pair of eyes were watching them, watching him—

_I want to stay here longer._ It was almost like a prayer, an unspoken plea to no one in particular. _I want to stay with these guys. I want to fight with them longer. Let me stay here. I want to throw up my toss with my own hands...over and over!_

He sent toss after toss, jumped numerous blocks, and shouted instructions until his throat ran dry, all the while remembering the conversation he had with Kageyama just before the second set.

_I’ll do my best,_ he had told his junior. _And you’ll do your best. And then...we’ll win the match that’s right in front of us!_

Despite that, his spirits began to dampen slightly, as Hinata failed to score a quick. He sighed and put on a smile in front of a disheartened Hinata, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. “Sorry, Hinata,” he said. “I think that quick might have been too slow.”

“Oh, it’s okay!”

A sudden movement caught Sugawara’s eye, and he let out another defeated sigh as he saw Kageyama make his way over to Coach Ukai. _I think I’ve probably only got one more play,_ he thought.

“Suga.”

He turned to see Asahi, facing the other way. “Give me the next one,” he said. “I’ll definitely make it.”

And as usual, the ace delivered on his promise.

The whistle blew once more, signalling a change in player. Sugawara looked over to see Kageyama holding up his number, and nodded in understanding. He spared the opposite end of the court one last glance from his position, and locked eyes with Oikawa, who seemed to have relaxed enough to give him a friendly nod.

As soon as they had been acknowledged, Sugawara smiled. “It’s a bit frustrating,” he commented. “But Hinata’s face when he hits my toss isn’t the same as when he hits your toss.”

Kageyama looked at him, head slightly tilted in confusion.

“I think you already know this, but all of our guys are really strong.”

“...right.”

Sugawara looked up at the crowds, searching for that pair of eyes he had been itching to see. Sure enough, Y/N was leaning over the railings, eyes bright and smile wider than he’d ever seen it. She waved and blew him a kiss, and he waved right back.

_All right. Let’s win this thing!_

* * *

The sound seemed to echo around the gymnasium.

It wasn’t nearly as loud as Oikawa’s gunshot of a serve, but it reverberated throughout every player on that court, like someone had struck a gong.

Sugawara swore his heart had stopped.

The wall that was Seijoh’s three-man block had completely shut down Kageyama and Hinata’s god-like quick. The power of Hinata’s swing had been enough to create a sound that silenced everyone watching, but evidently, it wasn’t enough to break through completely.

Everything seemed to have magnified at that moment. The way Tsukishima stilled next to him. Kageyama’s desperate shouting. The squeaking of Nishinoya and Tanaka’s shoes as they bolted to the ball.

Oikawa Tooru’s steely gaze as he watched Kageyama, Asahi, and Nishinoya dive for a ball that had already hit the ground.

It was over before Sugawara knew it.

The whistle sounded so faint compared to the roar of blood in his ears, but he heard it. Over by the bench, Coach Ukai’s head was bowed, while Kiyoko looked as if she was on the verge of tears. Takeda-sensei stood beside them both, not knowing what to do.

Sugawara did. “Let’s go,” he said, his voice just barely louder than a whisper. Ennoshita and Tsukishima followed him as he went to line up, the other second-years and Yamaguchi following suit.

Both teams bowed to each other, and ran forward to shake each other’s hands. It took more effort for the six players to do so, though it wasn’t hard to imagine that it was simply because of their fatigue.

They bowed to the spectators, and it surprised Sugawara to see the group of girls who had been cheering for Oikawa at the beginning of the match applauding for Karasuno rather seriously. The sight was heartwarming, but it wasn’t enough to fill the gaping hole that was opening up rapidly inside his chest.

“We need to clear out immediately,” Coach Ukai said, as they finally gathered around. “The next team’s warm-up is starting. We’ll start our cool-down upstairs or outside.”

He sighed, and turned to Seijoh’s side. Sugawara followed his gaze, and saw the team laughing and celebrating together. Their crowd began to cheer louder as a lone figure began to sprint across the court, to the officials’ surprise.

Sugawara watched as Oikawa practically pushed Iwaizumi and the others aside to catch Y/N as she sailed into his arms, laughing and screaming her congratulations. The team seemed to welcome her as one of their own, their own laughter joining with hers as she wrapped herself tighter around Oikawa’s torso. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, strong and sure, keeping her from tumbling to the ground.

“Seijoh will be going to the quarterfinals after a short break,” Coach Ukai said, and his words, along with the sight in front of him, chipped away at Sugawara’s heart relentlessly.

He tore his gaze away from the scene, following Daichi and the others out of the gymnasium.

* * *

_Suga-kun! Hey!_

_You did very well today, I was so impressed <3 Tooru and Kageyama-kun  
aren’t the only talented setters out there, after all! _

_I hope you’re alright...please come to The Lake soon. I’ll make you your  
favorite grilled cheese sandwich. It’s my treat. _

_Please rest well. Message me back when you can. Good night :)_


	5. act 2: the swan queen

_**act 2** _

The spring’s evenings in Miyagi were not as harsh and cold as the winter’s, but it came mighty close. Sugawara already had on one of his thickest jackets, but even that had to be paired by a couple of sweatshirts underneath to battle the temperature.

Still, the walk to the auditorium was pleasant, and given he had a couple of hours left before the start of the show, he took his time getting there. His parents were not so enthusiastic about letting him out for the evening, but with a little convincing and a promise to his mother to carry pepper spray with him (as if that could stop a raving, hungry ghoul, Sugawara had thought), he enjoyed the first night he was allowed out since the incident a few weeks ago. He did, however, take care to avoid deserted streets and, most importantly, narrow alleys.

He arrived at the Sendai Auditorium with an hour to spare, but a line seemed to have formed outside. Expensive-looking people exited their cars and completely bypassed the line—Sugawara guessed they were VIPs, judging by their appearances and vehicles. He crossed the street and made his way over to the line for the general audience members, fumbling around in his pocket to make sure the ticket was still there.

Before he reached the end of the line, however, he heard a familiar voice.

“Ya~ho, Suga-kun!”

Sugawara turned to see Oikawa Tooru, standing in the middle of the line, surrounded by a couple of starry-eyed girls. Seijoh’s captain beckoned him over with a large smile, excusing himself from the girls he was talking to.

“I saved you a spot in the line,” Oikawa said, ignoring the sour expressions he was getting from the couple behind him. “Y/N asked me to show you around.”

“Thanks.” Sugawara grinned, positioning himself next to Oikawa. “Where’s Kaori-san?”

“Takeru has school tomorrow, so she’s at home. Iwa-chan’s mom got sick, so it’s just me and you tonight.” Oikawa winked, and Sugawara shoved his shoulder playfully.

They stood there for a while in silence, as if it had suddenly just occurred to them that just a few days ago, they were on opposite sides of the court. It had been a grueling match, but despite Karasuno’s best efforts, Seijoh triumphed in the end.

No matter how hard he tried to deny it, the scene of Y/N running into Oikawa’s arms was difficult to forget.

Oikawa glanced at Sugawara after a couple of minutes, and he smiled good-naturedly. “You gave us quite a difficult time at the match, Mr. Refreshing,” he said. “We underestimated Karasuno just a little bit.”

Sugawara laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “I admit that I thought we had a chance in the beginning,” he said. “But we have a lot to improve on, I guess.”

Oikawa nodded. “The best thing to do after every match, no matter what the outcome, is to move on. To keep training. Keep getting better.”

“I agree.” Sugawara glanced at Oikawa, who was preoccupied with fixing his hair. “Going to fight Shiratorizawa for the spot at nationals soon?”

Oikawa hummed in response, checking his reflection in his phone. “We have a chance this year,” he promised, almost to himself. “We’re going to nationals. We have to.”

His voice shifted at that last part, but Sugawara pretended not to notice. He didn’t think Oikawa would appreciate him catching on to that tone—something that sounded close to desperation.

Half an hour later, the auditorium began to admit the general audience members, and slowly the line began to move. When the receptionist spotted Oikawa and Sugawara, she squeaked, and hurried over to them. Sugawara noticed she was hastily fixing her hair as she came up to Oikawa, and she had on a wide grin.

“Oikawa-san, I thought you were already inside,” she said. “If I recall, the seats you were given were in the VIP section.”

“Is that so?” Oikawa brought out his ticket. “I didn’t notice. How about yours, Suga-kun?”

Sugawara fished his own ticket out of his pocket, and handed it to the receptionist. “Both of you are VIPs,” she remarked. “You could have entered a little earlier, it’s freezing out here.”

“I’m touched by your kindness.” Oikawa flashed the receptionist another one of his award-winning smiles, and she clearly melted. “Please, come with me,” she said, leading the two inside.

“Y/N gave me a VIP ticket?” Sugawara whispered to Oikawa, as soon as the warmth of the auditorium enveloped them.

“I’m told the dancers get to give out a seat of their choice.”

“And you didn’t notice yours was VIP, too?”

Oikawa grinned, then tapped a finger to his lips. “Of course I did. I just didn’t want to deal with all those VIPs by myself. They’re the company’s patrons, Y/N says, but they’re nothing more than spoiled brats to me.”

Sugawara’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”

“They’re made up of the city’s socialites and up-and-coming hotshots. I can barely get through a single conversation with any of them. I doubt they know anything about ballet; the only thing they know how to do is profit off of the dancers’ hard work.” Oikawa sniffed.

“But the company can’t run without them.”

“I’d rather the company be sponsored by people who understand and appreciate the craft. But, nevertheless, she’ll show them how it’s done.” Oikawa smirked. “She’ll show them what ballet’s all about.”

They were shown to their seats, which were located two rows away from the front row and the orchestra pit. Oikawa took the aisle seat, and Sugawara sat next to him, looking up at the huge red curtains that covered the stage. He was suddenly hyper-aware of the person sitting next to him: a middle-aged man who was dressed smartly, making Sugawara feel naked in his simple jackets and jeans. Even Oikawa managed to make his button-down shirt and slacks look elegant— _but face it,_ Sugawara thought. _Oikawa could probably make everything look elegant._

He shifted his attention to the programme he was given by the receptionist. He smiled at the cover, which was Y/N in her Swan Queen costume, arms raised delicately over her head and head tilted ever so gently to the side, while the Prince stood next to her, holding her close by the waist and stretching his arm behind him.

He turned the page to see the production team, cast, and crew, along with the list of acts and scenes in the ballet. Y/N’s picture graced the top of the cast list, with _Swan Queen/Black Swan_ written just under her name. The thought of her playing two roles—that were complete polar opposites—excited him, even though the show hadn’t started yet.

The sudden roar of applause made him look up to the stage, where the conductor made his way over to the orchestra pit, waving and bowing to the audience. He gestured for the orchestra to stand, and this time, Sugawara joined in on the applause.

When they’d all sat back down, and the audience quieted down, Oikawa leaned over to whisper in Sugawara’s ear.

“You’re in for a real treat.”

The conductor raised his hand, and brought it back down.

The oboe began to play, accompanied by a couple of trumpets, producing a rather melancholy tune that was only amplified by the violins. The music seemed to tell a story—the beginnings of one, anyway—and true enough, the heavy curtains covering the stage began to part.

The stage was dark, until a lone spotlight came trickling down, illuminating the figure of a lone girl in a flowy white dress. Sugawara watched as she placed a tiara in her hair, slowly getting up on her toes as she floated within the small space of light.

The abrupt sound of drums signalled a shift to a more sinister tune when a taller figure appeared behind her, plucking the crown from her head before she could even react. She stepped back in shock as the figure disappeared, revealing a dark creature looming over her, spreading its wings as if to devour her completely. She got to her feet and attempted to run, but the creature had captured her in its arms, spinning her around in dizzying circles. She stumbled and fought, but whatever had her in its grip was far stronger. The music began to swell, and the lights began to flicker, and their movements were increasing in speed, and the princess’ arms moved up and down rapidly—

A flash of light, and a burst of feathers—

Then the princess was gone.

Instead of her flowing white dress, it was replaced by a crisp white tutu, which was covered in feathers, with a circlet of diamonds and white feathers adorning the top of her head. If Sugawara had been seated a little further back, he might have missed it—the way the ballerina playing the princess disappeared in the second where the stage was pitch black, and was replaced by…

“There she is,” Oikawa whispered, and Sugawara could hear the smile in his voice.

The lone spotlight did little to illuminate her face, but there was no mistaking it. Y/N, the Swan Queen, mimicking the dark creature’s wings flapping up and down with her long, graceful arms. Her expression was one of disbelief as she examined her new form, and the creature tucked her away in its huge wings as the lights dimmed.

The hair on Sugawara’s arms were standing up, and he released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding as he sat back in his seat. Oikawa laughed quietly as he patted Sugawara’s thigh. “You really got into that, huh?”

“That was just…” Sugawara shook his head, trying to calm himself. “That was incredible.”

Oikawa nodded in agreement as the first act began to play: the Prince and his companions, celebrating what seemed to be his birthday. The Prince was someone Sugawara didn’t know, but it seemed Oikawa did, given how he let out a small little huff as he appeared onstage. The Prince was joined by his best friend, the other castle inhabitants, and even the guards, as they danced and celebrated. They were later joined by what seemed to be the Prince’s stern-looking tutor, who announced the arrival of the Queen and the Prince’s sisters. The Queen gifted the Prince with a new crossbow, but also with a responsibility. She pointed to her left ring finger, and the Prince responded negatively at first, before being presented with an invitation card by his intimidating tutor.

 _There’s going to be a ball or a party,_ Sugawara guessed, trying his best to decipher what was going on. _And he has to marry someone who’s invited to that party._

The Prince clearly had no choice but to accept, and the thought seemed to have dampened his spirits as he opted out of the other dances, even refusing one with his sisters. As night fell over the castle, the tutor came out to order him back inside, which the Prince refused in favor of going out to hunt with his new bow.

He leaned over to Oikawa as the Prince began his solo, dancing to the ever-familiar theme of Swan Lake. “I don’t know about you, but next time I’ve got a problem, I’ll just dance it away,” he joked.

Oikawa barked out a laugh, earning him a few dirty glares from the people around him. He elbowed Sugawara harshly, who snickered.

The stage had considerably darkened during the Prince’s solo, now resembling a dark field in a deep forest. His best friend returned for him, and just as they were about to return, a large, winged creature was silhouetted by a sudden flash of lightning. The Prince ordered his best friend back to the palace, and crouched down, pointing his bow in the direction of the creature.

To his surprise, a girl dressed in white darted out from the trees, leaping into the audience’s view.

Sugawara had to smile.

Y/N, Odette, the White Swan. The Swan Queen.

Y/N took a step forward, almost hesitantly, before balancing on one raised foot. Her arms waved behind her, mimicking the wings of a bird— _or a swan, duh,_ Sugawara mused. It was as if the air around her had turned to molasses, and she was swimming instead of dancing through it. Grace and elegance flowed through her movements, and yet, they were full of sorrow; the sorrow of a princess who had everything taken from her.

Sadness was an expression that seemed to naturally come to Y/N.

The Prince approached, startling her and causing her to flutter away on her toes, very much like a bird who had been caught by a hunter’s eye. He set aside his bow and chased after the girl, who remained an arm’s length away from him.

When she had seemed to calm down enough to look at the Prince, Oikawa leaned over to Sugawara once more. “How good are you with ballet mimes, Suga-kun?” he asked.

“Eh? I didn’t even know there was such a thing…”

“Ballet is a silent art form, so they rely on non-verbal cues to tell the audience what’s happening,” Oikawa continued, while never taking his eyes off the stage. “All those ballets Y/N made me watch with her, all the ballets she’s been in...I can tell what they’re trying to say. Look.”

Sugawara obeyed, watching the Prince gesture to Y/N, then the stage, then spread out his arms. “ “You, here, why,” ” Oikawa translated. “ “Why are you here?” ”

Y/N gestured to herself, tapped the sides of her forehead with the base of her hand, and flapped her arms behind her. “ “I am the Queen of the Swans.” ”

The Prince mimicked her, but bowed at the end. “ “You are a Queen...I bow to you.” ”

“Amazing,” Sugawara whispered.

Y/N stepped forward to look at the audience, and his heart leapt. But her eyes did not fall on him; instead, they searched far out into the audience, pointing to both her eyes before motioning to the back of the stage. She crouched and stretched her arms out before gesturing to herself with one arm, mimicked holding something to her chest, and demonstrated what seemed to be tears falling down her face.

“Let’s see,” Oikawa said. “ “Look over there. There is a lake made from my mother’s tears.” ”

Y/N then pointed to the corner of the stage—the corner where the winged creature had appeared briefly—and the music took a quick dark turn, before returning to the elegant violin tracks. “ “Over there,” ” Oikawa continued. She clenched her fists and lifted them up at the same time, shaking. “ “There is an evil being…” ” She gestured to herself, and waved her arms behind her once more. “ “That has turned me into a swan.” ”

The Prince tried to interject, but she raised a hand. “ “But…” ” Oikawa was grinning slightly now. Y/N held up one finger, motioned to her heart, pointed to her left ring finger, and pointed two fingers to the sky while standing on her toes. “ “If there is someone who will love me, and swears to be true…” ”

Finally, Y/N turned and balanced on one foot, flapping her arms tentatively, before placing her foot flat on the floor and shaking her head.

“ “I will be a swan no more?” ” Sugawara guessed.

Oikawa nodded. “You’re getting it.”

The Prince took her hand, and just as they began to dance, the winged creature appeared—the same creature in the beginning, who had turned the princess into a swan. The Prince made a move to shoot him, but Y/N stood in between them.

“Why?” Sugawara asked.

“If the Prince shoots Rothbart, the curse will never be lifted,” Oikawa explained.

“Rothbart? Fukurodani’s mascot has a name?”

“Meanie,” Oikawa chuckled.

The rest of the swans appeared and began dancing. As the Prince came out to watch, still holding his bow, Y/N rushed in to stand in front of the group, seemingly begging for the Prince to spare the other swans. The Prince gestured to his bow, shook his head, and set it aside as he bowed to Odette.

The sequence with all the swans dancing—the _corps de ballet_ , Sugawara remembered Y/N telling him—was beautiful and almost haunting, with each dancer speaking the sorrow of their journey as swan-maiden creatures. The Prince returned to the stage, with Y/N following behind him, sinking into the floor with an outstretched leg and arms balanced delicately over it.

Sugawara hoped he wasn’t the only one feeling envious of the way the Prince gently picked Y/N’s arms up, handling her as if she was the most fragile thing he’d ever seen. He helped her to her feet, and they began their dance, the violin accompanying their dance now sounding less lonely and more hopeful. Slowly, Y/N stopped shying away from the Prince’s embraces, and began to welcome them. The fluidity of their movements—Y/N’s, in particular—made every step look effortless, including the endless leaps, jumps, and lifts. They made it look so easy, like Y/N weighed nothing more than a paper clip. Sugawara wondered if she ever got dizzy dancing, or if her toes ever bled from the weight that was being placed on them.

But looking at her now, how she seemed to embody both sorrow and strength with the stability of her movements, while also making the audience feel like she was about to dissolve into thin air...he was sure that whatever pain that came with the process, she wasn’t feeling it now, the way his nerves would always go away during a match. All inconveniences seemed like nothing in the pursuit of creating a masterpiece—and he was watching one being created right now.

He stole a glance at Oikawa, who was watching the events before them unfold with an unreadable expression. It might have just been the mood of the scene, but there was something akin to sadness in his eyes. Sugawara never really took Oikawa for an emotional person, but he supposed ballet could make people feel things whether they wanted to or not.

The sequence ended with Y/N gracefully leaning backwards until her hands brushed the floor, with the Prince supporting her effortlessly, his own arm raised behind him.

To his surprise, Sugawara’s throat was thick as he joined the applause. _I am not crying,_ he thought. _I am_ **_not_ ** _going to cry._

Y/N and the Prince took a moment to bow before the audience, and finally, she caught Sugawara’s eye. Although she remained in character, her eyes conveyed her gratitude, as well as the small curve of her lips. She got to her feet and exited the stage, the Prince on her tail just as the applause began to die down.

“Are you crying, man?” Oikawa teased.

“Shut up.”

The act went on, including a few sequences from the _corps_ and from Y/N herself, culminating into an impressive stunt where the Prince lifted Y/N in the air in the center of the stage, her arms spread out like a bird in flight.

Rothbart returned to the scene, and as the dawn broke, Y/N turned back into a swan, forcefully tearing herself away from the Prince’s arms as the curtain closed over the stage.

“Excuse me,” Oikawa said, standing from his seat. “Potty break.”

“Wha—the next act will be starting soon,” Sugawara said. But a few people were leaving their seats as well, mostly from the VIP section. He frowned, wondering if ballets had short intermission numbers like concerts did.

“You see?” Oikawa snorted, shaking his head as a VIP passed. “Anyway, it’s fine. I’ve seen Swan Lake like a billion times. Enjoy this act for me—you’ll never get one like this again.”

 _And there he goes again,_ Sugawara thought as Oikawa left. _Acting all dramatic._

The curtain parted to reveal a whole new set-up: a palace interior, painted with gold and maroon. _Must be the ball,_ Sugawara guessed.

And he was right; the guests began to flood the ballroom, the Queen, princesses, and the tutor arriving after everyone had settled. The Prince, however, was late, and a few dance sequences were filled in to pass the time.

When the Prince arrived, he was introduced to four foreign princesses, and was reminded by his mother to choose a bride at the end of the night. Each princess was impressive and beautiful in her own right, but it was clear that the Prince was uninterested.

 _I mean,_ Sugawara reasoned. _You see someone like the Swan Queen, and you don’t really want to look at anything or anyone else…_

Even after dancing with all the princesses, the Prince still refused to choose, risking the ire of the Queen. The atmosphere seemed to grow even more and more awkward, and the party seemed to be coming to an early end, until…

An unexpected fanfare startled the guests, and suddenly, the tutor was at the center of the room. He briskly walked around the stage, clearing the area, stopping by the doors just as the trumpets came to an end.

The doors swung open, revealing another dark figure...but this time, it was lean and feminine.

Sugawara’s breath caught in his throat.

Y/N, Odile, the Black Swan.

Her earlier expression of despair was gone without a trace, and was replaced by a sure, strong, and almost smug face. Simply put, she looked like Oikawa after making a service ace.

The Prince was quick to recognize Odette in the face of the Black Swan, but there was nothing in Odile that had the same feel of the White Swan. It wasn’t just the dramatic change from a pure white tutu into a jet black one, with silky onyx feathers adorning the costume. All grace and sweetness were completely replaced by pure power, arrogance...seduction.

It reflected in her movements, even, with the way the waving of her arms seemed a little harsher as she stopped the Prince from getting too close. She bowed slightly to the Queen, received instructions from the tutor (who seemed to be her father), before shooting another sultry look in the Prince’s direction and quickly exiting the stage, the Prince hot on her heels.

If the Black Swan was aiming to keep all eyes on her, even in her absence, she certainly achieved it; even after all of the princesses’ dances, there was no debate as to who the star of the act was. The audience gasped as the Prince and the Black Swan finally leapt into view, beginning their dance.

Sugawara didn’t need to be a veteran dancer to know the stark difference between Odette and Odile—each moment was an attack, almost, a direct hit to all the princesses present. There was pure power in each leap and spin, and although she took her sweet time teasing the Prince by rejecting his embraces, he was clearly enamoured. _Where the acting ended and the reality began was now a blurred line_ , Sugawara noted.

Odile seemed to enjoy the attention she was being given, a devilish smirk gracing her features that only drew both the Prince and the audience closer. She did her part, trying her best to act the part of the Swan Queen, but it was more of a mockery than an imitation, and the music seemed to give her true intentions away. When she faced the Prince, it was her sweet facade and fluttering eyelashes that greeted him, but when facing the audience, her eyes conveyed a challenge—as if to say, _Try and give me away. Try it._

As much as he wanted to see Y/N as the real embodiment of Odette, he couldn’t help but feel she carried Odile just as well.

The beginning of the act’s climax was heralded by trumpets and violins, and Odile appeared once more onstage. She positioned herself in the center, in a stance that Sugawara found familiar.

His eyes widened. _A fouetté,_ she had called it.

She spun on one foot more times than she had demonstrated for him in the cafe, and Sugawara lost count after the tenth spin. She kept with the beat until her final turn, in which she finished on her toes and a satisfied grin on her face.

He couldn’t stop the goosebumps as the pair completed their sequence, with the lovestruck Prince down on one knee and the Black Swan, after confirming her victory with a subtle glance at her father, brandished her other arm away from the Prince and over her head in a display of triumph.

It was at this moment that the audience seemed to have forgotten it wasn’t the end of the show yet, and got to their feet, cheering the loudest they had cheered for the evening. Sugawara was one of them, whistling and applauding until his hands grew sore. The pride that surged through him as the Prince nudged Y/N forward so she could bow to the audience was almost akin to the feeling of him scoring a point in a match. He could see that she was panting heavily, but if she was feeling any fatigue, she wasn’t showing it now. Her eyes met his once more, and she tipped her head ever so slightly in his direction before getting back into character.

To nobody’s surprise, the Prince chose Odile as his bride. The tutor made him swear his love, and after glancing at the beautiful Black Swan, he did so swear.

And so, the chaos began to unravel.

The tutor pointed to the real Odette in the corner of the stage, waving her arms in grief and despair, while Odile cackled mercilessly. In the confusion, the tutor snatched the Queen’s crown away from her, revealing himself to be Rothbart, the same winged creature that had cursed Odette to become a swan. The distraught Prince rushed off to undo his mistake while the music swelled, and eventually came to a majestic close.

“Sorry, ‘scuse me,” a voice said, trying to be heard over the roar of applause. Sugawara tore his eyes from the stage for the first time in a while to see Oikawa plop back into his seat, his button-down replaced by a plain black shirt and his hair slicked back, like he had just taken a shower.

“What happened?” Sugawara asked.

“Busted pipe,” Oikawa grumbled, stuffing what seemed to be his polo into his bag. “Just my luck, eh? I get doused by toilet water in a fancy place. Maybe someone overheard me shitting on the patrons—ah, pun unintended.”

Sugawara had to laugh. “You’re alright, though?”

“Yup,” Oikawa said, sighing as he finally relaxed in his seat. “So how was she? As the Black Swan, I mean?”

“She was…” Sugawara shook his head. “I can’t even describe it. You should have seen her.”

“Well…” Oikawa brought out the bouquet of flowers that he had somehow been hiding. “I hope this makes up for it.”

As soon as the _corps_ finished their sequence, Y/N came onstage, back in her Swan Queen costume, distraught and in grief. Her movements were jerky, desperate almost, as she relayed to the swans what had happened.

Sugawara somehow managed to understand what the mimes meant, but there was one gesture he found strange. Y/N brought her arms down abruptly, crossing her wrists together out in front of her.

He looked at Oikawa, who answered his unspoken question. “ “Death”,” he said.

 _I see,_ Sugawara said. _The Prince swore his love to Odile...so Odette has no one left to swear to her. The only way out is…_

The drums sounded, and the trumpets exploded at the arrival of the Prince, who anxiously searched among the swans for his real love. When Y/N revealed herself, nothing but pain and grief were on their faces. The pain of being replaced, the hurt of being deceived...all confirming that their love was now forever doomed. And they knew it.

Despite the Prince’s best efforts to apologize, Y/N flew away from his arms and instead tried to fall every chance she got, only to be caught time and time again. The desperation in her movements grew until they resembled a bird in danger, a bird who had nothing else to live for—a dying swan.

When the oboe was the sole instrument left after the ensemble of violins, drums, and trumpets, it once again sung the tune of loneliness, and something akin to acceptance. Y/N broke away from the Prince, pointed two fingers to the sky with the smallest bit of hope in her eyes. She turned to the Prince, gestured to him, and shook her head in sadness. He rushed over to pull her outstretched arm back down, as if to say, _That’s not true. I didn’t mean it._

Y/N seemed to believe it, and nodded, asking for him to stand. They shared an embrace, a symbol of a love that had been mended.

When Rothbart came to take the Swan Queen once and for all, for a couple of moments, the love between the Prince and Odette was the only thing keeping her from being consumed entirely. But despite their best efforts, there was no undoing the Prince’s betrayal. When the Swan Lake theme played for the last time, it was louder and more prominent, accompanying Y/N as she stepped forward bravely and put her arms down in a cross once more.

Sugawara held his breath as she dashed to the cliff, and Rothbart in his desperation, knocked the Prince out before chasing after Odette. Sugawara wondered if it was for the better or the worse—as the Prince didn’t have to see the Swan Queen plunge to her death into the lake. Rothbart’s spell shattered, and the swans took one final stand against him, before he too fell to his demise.

The swans roused the Prince, but all that was left for him to find were the broken form of Rothbart, and, after wading into the lake to retrieve her, was Odette, in her real human form, back in the flowy dress she had worn in the beginning—cold and unmoving. Over them, on the cliff, was the image of the Swan Queen, glowing slightly in the break of dawn, pointing two fingers to the sky once more.

 _Damn,_ Sugawara thought. _I’m gonna cry._

The Prince cradled the body of his love to his chest as he walked, the anguish on his face impalpable as the curtains closed.

“Ah,” Oikawa said, as he got to his feet along with the audience. He dabbed at his eyes dramatically as he turned to face Sugawara. “As expected of them.”

Sugawara wiped the tears from his eyes with his shirt as the curtains opened once more, presenting the cast, with Y/N and the Prince in the center. They simultaneously bowed, with Y/N and the Prince taking a little more time to do so. They bowed to each other, a wide and genuine smile on Y/N’s face as she sank to the ground gracefully.

“Come on,” Oikawa said. “We’ll ambush her in her dressing room.”

* * *

The personnel let them through with no problem, though Sugawara suspected it was because they knew Oikawa. True enough, some of the staff and crew greeted Oikawa with a friendly nod or a happy "Good work today!" as they passed, as if Oikawa was a part of the company itself.

"Ladies," Oikawa said to a group of female dancers, who erupted into furious giggles as they began to whisper excitedly amongst themselves.

"Look at you, Mr. Hotshot," Sugawara teased, as they wove their way through the costume racks and props baskets. Oikawa only smirked.

They finally got to a corridor of rooms, all of which were the dancers' dressing rooms and makeup station. He smiled at a couple of dancers who seemed to be eyeing him by one door, and they shyly waved at him in return.

"Her dressing room should be right...here." Oikawa stopped in front of the door at the far end of the corridor, which, unlike the others, had been closed. Oikawa tucked the bouquet behind his back before knocking, and whipped it out as soon as Y/N answered.

It felt surreal, almost, to see her right after the performance. Sugawara felt like he was looking at a celebrity.

Y/N, still clad in her Odette costume, laughed in delight as Oikawa handed her the bouquet and wrapped her in a tight hug, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Beautiful tonight," he said. "As always."

"Aren't you a sweet-talker," Y/N teased. She shifted her gaze to Sugawara, and immediately went in for a hug. He opened his arms just at the right moment, and for a moment, he had no words.

"Congratulations," he managed, as soon as she pulled away. "You were magical."

"Thank you so much, Suga-kun," she said warmly. "I'm so glad you came. Come inside, make yourself comfortable."

The room was surprisingly rather spacious, as it allowed for a small couch and a mini refrigerator in the corner. Y/N's Black Swan costume hung on the rack near the glowing makeup station, and Sugawara couldn't help but touch the beautifully designed fabric.

"Ah, now this is the life," Oikawa remarked, flopping down on the couch. "How does it feel to finally have your own dressing room?"

"I miss the gaggle and the hectic feel of being in one with, like, seven other girls," Y/N replied, setting Oikawa's bouquet down next to the dozens she had already received. "But this does have more room to stretch in."

Oikawa grinned at Sugawara as he got up to search the refrigerator. "She's been dreaming of getting her own dressing room for a performance since forever."

"Yeah, you know, most other ballerinas would like to be promoted, or just get the leading role," Y/N said, ripping open a protein bar and munching away. "I just wanted my own dressing room."

"Can I get you a drink, Suga-kun? Y/N?"

"Hey, why are you hunting through my refrigerator?" Y/N complained.

Sugawara laughed as he sat down on the couch. "Do you have soda?"

"Just a minute—aha!" Oikawa whipped out a can of orange soda and a bottle of water. He tossed Suga the can before sitting back down. Y/N rolled her eyes as she finished the rest of her protein bar.

"So, what did you think of the performance, Suga-kun?" she asked, sitting in the chair in front of her makeup station.

"Eh?" Sugawara swirled the soda around in his can. "I'm not really a dancer, but, uh…"

"It's alright. I'm always curious to hear what first-timers have to say about ballet."

"Well…" Sugawara thought for a moment. "The music was brilliant. I mean, you could hear it telling a story, even without words. Incredible stuff."

"Right?" Y/N's eyes sparkled. "What else?"

"Let's see...the story was quite sad. Like, I only know the watered-down, kid version of _Swan Lake._ I didn't think it would turn that dark."

"He cried at the end," Oikawa added, eyes never leaving his phone.

"I did not," Sugawara said indignantly as Y/N burst into laughter. "I mean, it did get quite tragic...I didn't think the Prince was at fault. He was tricked."

"Hmm, I think so, too," Y/N said thoughtfully, leaning back into her seat. "I think Odette and the Prince's love was doomed from the start. She was cursed to be of a different nature from him, and even though they tried to make it work, you could see she understood that it wasn't his fault...nothing could change the fact that they were two separate beings."

Sugawara deflated a little, but he was impressed by Y/N's depth of perception. "Man, that's depressing," he lamented. "Doesn't _Swan Lake_ have happier endings?"

"It does." Y/N's bright smile had dimmed considerably. "But not in this one."

A knock came on the door. "Come in," Y/N called.

The receptionist from earlier poked her head in. "Y/N-san, the press," she stated.

"Ah, is it that time already?" Y/N patted her hair and smoothed her tutu out. "Please send them in, thank you."

"Should we…?" Sugawara glanced over to Oikawa.

"You can hang around," Y/N said, setting out another chair in front of her. "This won't take long."

A journalist and a lone cameraman entered the room, bowing and exchanging pleasantries with Y/N.

"Please, have a seat," Y/N was saying. "Oh, these are Oikawa Tooru and Sugawara Koushi. I hope you don't mind that they're here."

"No problem," the reporter said, smiling at the two. "We did a segment on the Interhigh Prelims a few days ago. Congratulations to you both."

Oikawa simply grinned and flashed a peace sign, while Sugawara bowed slightly, mumbling his thanks. _It's the first time I've been recognized as a player,_ he thought. _They definitely know Karasuno now. Daichi's going to be over the moon…_

"Alright, let's begin." The reporter brought out a notebook and a pen, the cameraman clicking away. "L/N-san, congratulations on such a spectacular show, and thank you for agreeing to this interview. I'll be asking just a few questions for a piece we're doing on the Sendai City Ballet as well as the segment we'll be doing on this event, is that alright with you?"

Y/N nodded, reaching over to her makeup station for her sports drink. "Fire away."

"We understand that we were the only ones granted a one-on-one with you, why is that?"

"Ah, well," Y/N laughed, a little sheepish. "I don't really fare well with interviews like these, so I'd much rather leave it to the directors and the production staff. I think, uh, Yoshihara Nao, my partner, the one performing as the Prince, would be happy to supply other outlets with his own interviews. I'm content to just give out a statement or two."

The journalist jotted down her words. "Thank you very much." She leaned forward and clicked her pen. "How did you feel doing this performance?"

"It was incredible. It's a demanding role, but there's a reason why it's the dream, I think, of every ballerina out there. I've been in _Swan Lake_ for as long as I can remember in my ballet career, but to play Odette and Odile...it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have Amaya Minako-sensei to thank for such amazing choreography, and the director, Oki Kaede-sensei, whose clear vision guided all of us on this journey."

"Which other roles did you take on in previous productions of _Swan Lake_?"

"My first one was, of course, being part of the _corps_. I was around four or five years old. A real baby swan." Y/N laughed heartily. "But it wasn't really a production, it was more of a recital, I suppose. Then, um, I was part of the corps again...then I stood in for one of our dancers who was supposed to do the Spanish dance. That was a lot of fun."

Sugawara recalled the Spanish sequence during the show. The princess had donned a fiery red-and-black dress, and he could envision Y/N strutting around, the fabric swooshing behind her, brandishing the fan as if it was a weapon.

"And now, you're the Swan Queen," the reporter said, smiling slightly. "You really started from the bottom."

"That's the case for everyone. We start from the _corps_ , then we keep practicing and training and auditioning. It's quite difficult to secure a role when you're surrounded by extremely talented dancers, but it's an opportunity to continue to improve."

"So it would seem." The reporter glanced down at her notes. "What got you into ballet, L/N-san?"

Y/N let a couple of seconds pass in silence, before answering. "My mother," she said, her eyes full of emotion. "She would have loved to see me perform."

Sugawara glanced at Oikawa, who was smiling ever so slightly.

The reporter caught on to what she was implying, and her features softened. "I'm sure she's proud of you. You did an amazing job."

Y/N smiled softly and nodded, but said nothing more.

"Is there any other show or role that you'd like to do?"

"Let's see...I'd love to do the Sugar Plum Fairy. The company's production of _The Nutcracker_ last season was unfortunately cancelled due to some budget constraints, so that was quite sad. I've wanted to play Aurora in _The Sleeping Beauty_ , too, and the role of Giselle in, well, _Giselle.._.I'd also love to do Nikiya in _La Bayadére,_ although Gamzatti looks quite fun, doesn't she?"

"Perhaps these projects can be pursued elsewhere?" The reporter tapped her chin with her pen. "We spoke to a few ballet critics and scouts who were in the audience this evening, one of which was from the Tokyo Ballet. They were very interested in your potential as a dancer. Will we be seeing L/N Y/N on the national stage?"

Y/N smiled again. "Unfortunately, I will not be pursuing my ballet career after graduation. The Swan Queen is my retiring role."

"Huh?" Sugawara blurted out, before slapping a hand over his face. Both Y/N and the reporter were startled, but Oikawa let out a small snort of laughter.

"Why is that so, L/N-san? You're still so young, and if this was indeed your retiring role, it more or less should have been promoted as such…"

"It's the tradition for every retiring ballerina to have one grand show in her honor, and usually they're in the role that launched their career. I'm very much well aware of that." Y/N twirled the ends of her tutu between her fingers.

"Ballet saved me from a very dark time in my life, and I thought this was the best way for me to return the favor. This was the culmination of all of my experiences as a ballerina, and I put my heart and soul into every moment. I requested the company to leave out the fact that this was my retiring show, so people can focus on what the ballet as a whole was trying to convey. We should appreciate the beauty of something as it is now, instead of waiting until it's gone."

Sugawara was a little heartbroken at the thought that this was the first and last time he would get to see her dance live. Nevertheless, he was glad to have experienced every second of it to the fullest.

He was still reeling from the news, but still managed to realize that she never really answered why she was retiring from a career she was clearly passionate about. He turned to Oikawa, expecting an answer.

Oikawa's somber expression said it all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Haikyuu!! manga series is ending soon! It's bittersweet, of course, but I'm forever grateful to this series for having characters and plots that have inspired my own writing. Without Haikyuu!!, this story, as well as the Stained series would not have happened. Thank you, Furudate-sensei!
> 
> How are you guys finding the story so far? And how will you remember the Haikyuu!! series? Tell me all about it in the comments below :) Thank you so much!

**Author's Note:**

> To new readers, welcome; to old readers, welcome back!
> 
> I call this work the "I'm In The Mood For Writing Angst" or "I'm Definitely Not Writing This To Distract Me From Finishing Severed" project. I also like to consider this as part of the arcticliars' Reader-verse. See if you can find references to previous works and characters I've created!
> 
> As always, thank you for all the love and support. Let's do our best together!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr as penguin-tooru :)


End file.
